Your Joking, Right?
by PrettiiGurl754
Summary: Hermione Granger is seventh year HeadGirl, Pureblood, and dating Draco Malfoy, good guy! 'Your Joking.. Right' Even though they say opposites attract there are a lot of bumps along the way!
1. The Long Exciting Story

Your joking...RIGHT?

Chapter 1 The Long Story

It was the summer between Hermione's sixth and seventh year at Hogwarts School of Withcraft and Wizardry and she had been through some...Serious changes.

First off, Hermione was now every guys ideal girl, witty, intelligent, beautiful, rich, and powerful. Her best Muggle friend ,Charidy, had given her the ultimate make-over. Hermione now had pernamently straight brown hair with blonde highlights, and she had also gotten a pair of dark-blue colored contacts, seeing as she had been needing glasses for quite some time now anyways. They had also gone shopping in muggle London and had bought her a new wardrobe and make-up and hair care products.

Next, Hermione had received some very exciting news over the summer, she was actually a Damenzla, which was a very wealthy pure-blood family, which made Hermione a pure-blood. Her new-found family ,which included her little sister Dakota, was a well respected, non-dark arts family which made her even happier. Her mother was a journalist and her father worked in the Department of Magical Games and Sports at the Ministry. Her muggle adoptive parents had told her the story before giving her the choice of living with them and moving to America, or living with the Damenzla's, her parents by birth, and remaining in London. Of course she chose her biological parents ,whom she had gotten to spend little time with due to Lord Voldemort., and was now living in a huge mansion on Collidge Hills along with other rich, pure-blood, families Lucky for Hermione, the only pure-blood she had recognized from her years at Hogwarts was Blaise Zabini, who had turned out to be a great friend, he had taught her a lot about the game of Quidditch, which turned out to be not soo bad, and was now dating Hermione's best wizard friend, Ginny Weasley.

Hermione, Ginny, Blaise, Cody(Hermione's muggle boyfriend), Charidy, and her boyfriend Shawn, were often found at the latest teen dance club "Revenue", or at the local muggle movie theater. When they had gone to see the muggle movie "The Longest Yard", Ginny, Blaise, and Hermione had a very close call to exposing their world when Hermione jumped up at one point in the movie and shouted "My God, use, magic, hullo ALOHAMORA people!" Let's just say they received some very rude faces and words.

Hermione was now sitting in her spacious bedroom in the Damenzla mansion staring out of the window at the vast grounds below when a large brown tawny owl swooped into the open window and landed on her bed post, holding his leg out where a scroll of parchment was tied. She scrambled off her stool by the window and jumped on her bed to untie the parchment on the owls leg and relieve him of his burden. She then tossed him a treat and watched as he flew back out the window. She took out of the envelope, unfolded the letter, and read:

_Dear Miss Hermione Granger,_

_I am pleased to inform you that you have been selected as the Head Girl of your graduating class this year. Please report to the Head Girl/Boy carriage on the Hogwarts Express on the First of September at promptly 11:30am. Attached is your 7th year booklist._

_Thank you and Good Luck,_

_Deputy Headmistress, Minerva McGonagall_

Hermione jumped off her bed and ran down 2 flights of steps and into the family room to tell her new parents the good news. "Wow that's great" said her father, as her mother started weeping and enclosed her in a bone-crushing hug. When her mum released her she beamed at everyone until she felt a bow to her knees that felt quite like when Dobby the house-elf hugged you when you gave him a pair of socks, but it was actually her little sister Dakota who was squealing and crying. She stepped back and looked up into her sisters face with tears in her startling blue eyes and a grin on her face "Sissy, Sissy, Im going to be starting at Hogwarts this year!" She dashed into the dining room and came back moments later, Hogwarts letter in hand, and waved it in front of Hermione's face. "See!" she said beaming and showing off her perfectly white teeth. "Well this calls for a celebration" said their mother, she snapped her fingers and called "April" seconds later a tiny house-elf draped in a small sun dress (which was Hermione's doing, if she was gonna have a house-elf I was gonna be treated fairly) appeared at her side "Yes Mistress?" squeaked the tiny elf. "We are going out for a bit" said their mother. The elf bowed her head and dissaparated again. Then one by one, besides Dakota who went with their father, they stepped into the fire and called out "Diagon Ally".

(A/N Well that was my first ever fan fic. lol! How'd I do? Pleez Review! Flamers are accpeted but not wanted, lol)


	2. Who you'll see in Diagon Alley

You Joking...Right?

Chapter 2: You never know who you'll see in Diagon Alley!

(A/N Here's chapter 2 n chapter 3 is already done so...)

Hermione stepped out of the grate in one of the upper rooms in the Leaky Cauldron. Closely followed by her mother, father, and sister. Dakota squealed with delight as soon as they stepped out of the grate, "That was soo cool". Hermione laughed, Flooing had always made her nautious.

She led the way down to the front desk where she greeted the barman, Tom, then proceeded to the little courtyard in back of the tavern where she knew was hidden the entrance to the wizarding quarter Diagon Alley. She took out her wand and tapped the bricks in correct form the watched as the magical world of Diagon Ally took form before her. It amazed her that a mere 6 years ago she would have thought none of this possible.

Dakota was in an absolute uproar, clearly she had never been to Diagon Alley, she ran up and down the streets stopping to peer in at every window and calling out "Look sissy" every chance she got. Hermione was forced to watch her as their parents left to go pick up a few items. They were to meet outside of Florean Fortescues Ice Cream Parlor at quarter-til eight. Hermione took Dakota's hand and led her to the first place on their booklist: Flourish and Blotts.

After they had gotten everything on their list , including Dakota's wand which was a 10' holly with the tail hair of a unicorn, there was only one more place Hermione wanted to go but since Dakota had never been to Diagon Alley she insisted on seeing everything, so they went in EVERY shop. First they went to Quality Quidditch supplies where they ran into Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnigan fellow seventh years, Hermione and Dakota joined them in drooling over the latest broom "Devil'z Reign". Next they went into Magical Menagerie where Hermione bought Dakota on owl that was the color of Hedwig, Harry's owl, and the size of Pig, Ron's owl, Hermione laughed at the memory when Ron had first got that owl, it was in the end of their third year, and Ron had held the owl out to Crookshanks, Hermione's old cat who had died of age just a few weeks ago, who sniffed the owl to check and make sure it was not an animagus. It was quite a memory. Thinking of Crookshank's brought Hermione to the decision to but a new cat, she found one that was pure white with baby blue eyes, she named her Snowball. Hermione and Snowball and Dakota and Sadie, her owl, made there way out of the shop.

Next they went into the shop Hermione was most anxious to get to, Weasley's Wizard Wheezes, where Hermione was thrilled to find Ron and Ginny Weasley, Harry Potter, the rest of the Weasley family, and Fleur Delacour, Bill's bride-to-be. Fleur swooped down on Hermione and gave her a hug "Eef it esn't my bridezmaed". Fleur had asked Hermione, along with Ginny who had finally started to like Fleur, to be a bridesmaid. "Hi Fleur, how are you?" asked Hermione. "Ooo juss .. Peachy" she giggled at her choice of words. "And who is theez adorable little girl?" asked Fleur, indicating Dakota who was giving her a curious look. "Oh yes, everyone, this is my little sister Dakota Damenzla". Dakota smiled shyly. "Wait, how can she be your sister, the Damenzla's are one of the top pure-blood families in the country?" asked Ron with a puzzled expression on his face. "Im adopted, my real name is Hermione Damenzla" said Hermione and she proceeded to tell them the long, complicated story that was her life. "Great everyone is rich but me" Hermione heard Ron say as herself, Dakota, and Ginny who was spending the night over Hermione's, left the shop, and made their way down the road.

After they had left Weasley's Wizard Wheezes, Hermione, Dakota, and Ginny were on their way back to the ice cream parlor to meet up with Hermione's parents when they ran right into Draco Malfoy and Blaise. "Watch it mudblood, Weaslette!" Blaise just stood there not saying a word, Ginny shot him a dirty look. "We are not mudbloods, thank you" cried Dakota who had stepped out of her hiding place from behind Hermione's cloak. "And who are you another little mudblood pal of Grangers?" sneered Malfoy. "Back off Mal-" started Hermione, but Dakota cut her off "There is no Granger here, my name is Dakota Damenzla and this , she indicated Hermione, is my sister and we are pure-bloods." Dakota said using Draco's sneer that caused Blaise to snigger and walk off. "Sister?" asked Draco, eyes wide and disbelieving. "Yeah that's right" said Hermione. "Now sod off Malfoy" said Ginny. And the trio ran back grabbed Blasie who was coming home with the Damenzlas and Ginny, seeing as he lived right next door, and left leaving a disbelieving Draco in their wake. Blaise shot him a look of apology before he linked arms with Ginny and proceeded back to the ice cream parlor.

(A/N Well there's chapter 2, Hope you liked it, now see the cute Lil' button that says "Review" please press it! This chapter was a little longer I think! OoO did u all like HBP? I did! Ok well im out I'll post chapter 3 tomorrow! Bye! Your author, Nicole)


	3. No way!

Your Joking...Right!

Chapter 3: No Way!

(A/N Well guyz here's chapter 3 this is in Draco's P.O.V)

No Way, there is no way in hell she is a pure-blood, stormed Draco as he slammed the door to his bedroom and flopped down on his bed. She just can't be I would have known. He sat like that, on his bed, arguing with himself until he came up with his brilliant idea. "Duh, she knows everything" he said to himself as he once more walked out of his bedroom and slammed the door shut.

Narcissa Malfoy was sitting in her drawing room, reading a book, when her only son stormed into her room. "My god, Draco Alexander Malfoy, clam yourself this instant." "Mother what can you tell me about the Damenzla family?" asked Draco, who had flopped himself down on one of the black leather couches in the room. "Oh charming pure-blood family, there daughter, who has been away for a few years, has been brought home, she is about your age I believe." replied Narcissa, Draco rolled his eyes. "Maybe we should go over there, say hello, I get a long quite well with Eliza, besides they are a fellow pure-blood family." Draco just groaned "Great now I have to go see her" he thought. "You may like the young lady" his mother said. "Yeah.. Sure" Draco muttered. "Go change Draco, I shall inform Eliza we will be coming to visit almost immediately". Draco stormed back up to his room muttering something that sounded much like "Ugh, Mums!"

Draco took as long as possible to get ready. He took a long, hot shower, then got dressed in black pants, and a white button down shirt, he wanted to look good but not overdone. Mum would fuss if he looked too casual and he did NOT want to look overdone for Granger, or Damenzla, nah Granger. Then he worked on his hair, he had given up gelling it back in 5th year so he just let it hang over his eyes. The ladies found it incredibly sexy, he smirked to himself. Next he put on a squirt of cologne, examined himself in the mirror "Good as usual Draco", grabbed a jacket, and was out of his bedroom door once again.

He met his mother in their family room and they apparated from their to the Damenzla mansion. When Draco, who did not fancy apparating, landed on his two feet, he took one look around and already he could place the neighborhood, this was where his best mate, Blaise Zabini, lived. And sure enough, spinning on his heel, there was the Zabini mansion right next to one of the biggest houses Draco had ever seen, if it was this big on the outside he could only imagine what it looked like on the inside. "A very wealthy family must live here" he said to himself. "This is soo my dream home, maybe a different color though" he pondered to himself.

"Mother where is the Damenzla mansion?" asked Draco, looking over at the Zabini mansion, "I can just sneak over to Blaise's if I get too bored, but you never know torturing Granger in her own home could be a lot of fun!" Draco thought to himself and smirked. "Right there" said Narcissa, indicating Draco's dream house. "No way" said Draco. " Oh yes, the Damenzla's are the richest wizarding family in all of England" replied Narcissa, starting up the long path to the house. "Richer then us?" Draco called to his mother's retreating back. "Oh yes dear, much richer" replied Narcissa over her shoulder. "Bloody Granger" spat Draco, sulking up the path behind his mother, cursing "Bloody Granger, or, bloody Damenzla, the whole way to the door.

Narcissa reached the door and rang the bell way before her son. A moment later a small house-elf answered the door "Ahh Mistress Malfoy and Young Mister Malfoy, please come in" squeaked the elf, it held the door open for them "Master and Mistress Damenzla shall be here to great you shortly, Please take a seat, Tea?" asked the elf indicating the tea plate on the small wooden table in front of them. Narcissa took a seat and helped herself to a cup of tea, but Draco remained standing, admiring the vast entrance hall. "Young Mister Malfoy if you would like I can take you out back, the young mistresses are playing a game with a friend of Mistress Hermione and the neighbor boy." squeaked the tiny elf, who, Draco noticed, was wearing a dress. Draco thought "he must be talking about Granger, her little brat-of-a-sister, the Weaslette, and Blaise. "Mother may I?" he asked. "Oh, yes dear go right on ahead, have fun" she replied, looking around then standing up once more because the Damenzla's had just entered the room.

"Right this way" squeaked the elf, and he led Draco through the large house and out the back door where Draco, whose jaw dropped, found a very large Quidditch pitch a little ways through the yard. He slowly walked along the stone path to the small stands that could hold approximately 100 people. About 50 feet in the air above him were Hermione, Ginny, Blaise, and Dakota playing a game of quidditch Red team versus Silver team, Hermione and Ginny (Red) vs. Dakota and Blaise (silver). They all played very well Draco noted. He watched them play for about an hour, Red was dominating, until he got bored and yelled "Anyone need an extra player". Four shocked faces looked down at him, then sped to the ground.

(A/n Ok well that's chapter 3 thanx for the reviews, Next chapter will be the quidditch game, Blaise and Draco vs. Hermione, Ginny, and Dakota (since she's little), who do YOU think will win? Huh? Well you will have to wait to find out! XoXo NiCoLe OxOx


	4. A good ol' game of Quidditch

Your Joking...Right?

Chapter 4: A good ol' game of Quidditch

(A/N Thanx 2 evry1 4 the reviews! I appreciate them, Missi-Moolo I understand what u r saying n I will try 2 do that in this chapter!)

Hermione touched down first and practically ran over to the part of the stadium where Draco was sitting with a now startled expression on his face. He jumped up quickly before Hermione could reach him.

"What the hell are you doing here Malfoy?" she yelled, her face beat red

"My God Gra-err- Damenzla calm down, my mother is inside with your parents, there good friends you know?"

"Soo you should have stayed inside too" she growled.

"Why would I stay in there when my best mate is out here, Why ARE you out here Blaise?" Draco asked, turning to face his best friend.

"Oh well...umm...er..Im.." Blaise stuttered.

Ginny shot him a very dirty look and Blaise said "Oh well here goes, Im da..dating Ginny here, and Hermione is my new neighbor and now a very good friend, he replied wrapping an arm around both his girls. Draco laughed soo hard he did not realize the others leaving.

Hermione, Ginny, Blaise, and Dakota were already back in the air before Draco realized they were gone. Blaise was pissed, you could tell because all of the sudden the silver team had a very BIG lead. Hermione was also upset, but being upset just made her even more frustrated. She finally gave up, yelled Time, and flew to the stands on the opposite side of the field and took a seat.

"Argh I hate that slimy little git" she seethed to Ginny and Blaise who had followed her, Dakota was now doing laps around the pitch, Draco, Hermione noticed, was watching her intently.

"We all do" said Ginny

"No, I don't he is still my best mate, I think I better go talk to him." said Blaise, getting back on his broom he told them he would be right back, and flew over to where Draco was sitting.

About 15 minutes later Blaise, accompanied by Draco this time, came back over to where Hermione, Ginny, and now Dakota were conversing in low voices.

"Ok ladies Draco and I have come up with a little wager." said Blaise who folded his arms and smirked just like Draco beside him.

"Oh and what is that?" asked Hermione who stood up, along with Ginny and Dakota, and folded her arms and raised her eye brows, Ginny and Dakota doing the same.

"Damn you ladies would have made good Slytherins." said Blaise admiring their fiery stance.

"I highly doubt that" said Hermione. "Now on with this little wager."

"Ok how about a little game of quidditch?. Us two versus you two, oh and Dakota, since you have absolutely no chance of winning." said Draco.

"Oh well see about that ferret, game ON, said Ginny, and they kicked off the ground and took off into the air.

On the Red team Ginny and Hermione were playing chasers and Dakota was playing Keeper. On the Silver team Draco and Max, Blaise's little brother they got to join there team, were playing chasers and Blaise was playing there keeper. Silver scored the first goal, compliments of Draco, Red scored the next two goals, compliments of both chasers. Next, Max made his way down the pitch, but Dakota made a spectacular save, keeping the game at 20-10 Red. Any chaser could capture the snitch and Hermione had thought she saw it, but turns out it was just Draco's watch. This was part of the Red team's plan: when they had a good lead Hermione would look for the snitch.

Two goals later Silver had taken the lead. But Hermione and Ginny, who were determined, to win, had already scored one more time leaving the score tied at 30-30. Ginny and Hermione were racing down the pitch when the quaffle was intercepted by Max who streaked, with the quaffle, in the opposite direction. He tossed the quaffle to Draco who aimed for the right hoop, but once again Dakota made an absolutely amazing save causing Draco to sneer at her, that's when little Dakota did the funniest thing she could ever do, quaffle in hand she flew right to Draco said "It's alright Drakey, girl's rule", tossed the quaffle to Hermione, and kissed him on the cheek. By the time Draco had came out of his state of shock Hermione and Ginny, closely pursued by Max, were already half-way up the pitch. "You little cheater" Draco yelled over his shoulder at Dakota as he made his way, as quick as possible, back up the pitch.

Hermione was just about to take aim for her shot when she saw it: the Golden Snitch, flying a mere 4 inches from the left goal post, she quickly tossed the quaffle to Ginny and took off after the snitch. Ginny quickly took the quaffle and took the shot, but missed because she was to focused on Hermione, who Ginny noticed, wasn't alone, for Draco had just joined her in pursuing the snitch. Hermione was just about at the snitch when she felt a body next to her. She looked to her right and there he was, the devil himself...no, but close enough, Draco Malfoy, smirking. She sped up on her broom, which was a newer model compared to Draco's, and went into a dive, Draco following, she was a mere inch from the snitch, level with Draco, nearing the ground and a few broken bones, both of them stretched out there arms. 5 inches from the ground, 4, 3, and a hand clasped over the snitch, the game was over, they had won.

(A/N Hahaha well there's chapter 4! Who won? I was gonna tell you in this chapter but I figured I would wait til chapter 5! Don't worry chapter 5 will be up first thing tomorrow since I am already half done with it! I hope you guys don't hate me because of the cliffy! Lol, well don't forget to press the cute lil review button! XoXo NiCoLe OxOX)


	5. Losing an enemy, gaining an aguantince

Your Joking...Right!

Chapter 5: Losing an enemy, gaining an aquantince!

(A/N Ok guys I wanted to tell you something about my chapters, I know they are short but that is only because I write them out, by hand, in a notebook, before I type and post them. When I write them in my notebook there like 4-5 pages, but when I type them there like 3 so.., Lol, well theres my explanation, on with the chapter!)

"Dakota!" screeched Hermione. She touched down alongside her little sister, who had the snitch clasped tightly in her hand.

"How the bloody hell did you do that?" asked Draco who had also touched down and ran over to the little girl.

"Oh it was EASY, I just flew ground level as fast as I could until I grabbed the snitch then I went a little bit further just to get out of the way." said Dakota, with a wave of her hand as if it was just an easy thing. Hermione could not help but laugh, her own little sister reminded her vaguely of Fleur Delacour,

"Your brillant, just like me" cried Hermione pulling her sister into a hug, causing Draco to chuckle.

"Ok I know im good but come ON" laughed her little sister.

"That was quite a move little missy" called Blaise as him, Ginny, and Max made their way over to the trio.

"Thanks Blaise" replied Dakota, jumping onto Blaise's back, "let's go get something to drink, to the kitchen my little pony." called Dakota, giggling.

"I resent that" said Blaise running across the courtyard. Ginny ran ahead too, she didn't want anybody taking her guy. Hermione and Draco were falling behind.

"Well Granger, Im liking your new style, you got a beautiful new look, a great new family, and quite a sister". Said Draco.

"The name is Damenzla, thank you im flattered seriously, and yes shes quite a hand-full." Hermione laughed, causing Draco to smirk. They talked the whole way back to the house. By the time everyone was back in the house Dakota had already summoned April and there was a large feast on the kitchen table. Also a note from Hermione's parents stating they had gone out with Mrs. Malfoy and that they would be back around 8. Everyone sat around the table eating and talking, in Blaise's case, eating and talking at the same time, by which he also managed to gross everyone out. Even Max looked a little startled and he lives with him.

"This is by far, the worse he has ever done!" said Max, an appaled look on his face. This caused everyone to chuckle.

Once everyone was done eating they just sat around and continued talking. Daktoa and Max, who would also begin at Hogwarts this year, were talking over which house they would be sorted into.

"Im not really sure" said Max "My brother is a Slytherin but im not much like him"

"Im going to be a Gryffindor for sure" said Dakota, "Or maybe a Ravenclaw"

"Nah, you're a Gryffindor all the way, babe" said Blaise

"Oh, and is this a BAD thing?" asked Ginny, pouting with her lower lip stuck out.

"No, I love my lions, Grrrr" said Blaise, making cat claws then grabbing Ginny by the waist and wrapping her small frame in his arms. Ginny giggled.

"Max, your gonna be a Hufflepuff" joked Draco, this caused a huge uproar, everyone was laughing except Max.

"That is not even funny" Max yelled, and stormed away into the family room.

"Now Draco my brother will not be a Hufflepuff, otherwise I will not have a brother." said Blaise, causing another wave of chuckles.

Next the discussion turned to the Quidditch match they had just finished.

"It's just like Dakota told you Malfoy, girl's rule." said Hermione, Ginny and Dakota just nodded there heads in agreement. Draco rolled his eyes.

"That move would have been illegal in a real match, there is only 1 seekers on a real team" Blaise pointed out.

"It wasn't a real match, Blaise, plus it is my pitch so I say it counts, so blah," said Hermione, sticking out her tongue at Blaise.

"Yeah so get over it" sadded Ginny.

"Hey that was still not fair, but I admit, you guys did win" said Draco holding his hands up in mock defeat.

"Oh is the ferret surrendering?" said Hermione.

"Oh come on enough with the ferret crap, that still haunts me, plus you don't see me calling you mudblood anyomore" said Draco.

"Well I am NOT a mudblood, and did I hurt poor little Draco?" Hermione said in a mock baby voice, but as soon as she saw Draco's face she said "Ok, Ok Im sorry Draco".

Draco, Hermione Blaise, and Ginny all moved into the movie room for a little game of truth or dare. Dakota and Max had went outside to swim.

"Ok Hermione you first, truth or dare?" asked Ginny

"Truth (A loud chorus of boo's) I'll take dare next time for sure" said Hermione.

"Ok, did you ever snog Viktor Krum?" Ginny asked, a large grin on her face.

"Ginerva Weasley, how dare you!" said Hermione, pointing a finger at her.

"Just answer the question Mione"

"Oh okay I did plenty of times, and you knew that!" said Hermione. "Ok, my turn, ummm, Blaise! How far have you and Ginny gone?"

"Oh now that isn't fair, I pick Dare" said Blaise.

"Oh Chicken" called Draco

"Ok fine, lets just say we hit a homerun" said Blaise, Ginny buried her face in her hands, Dracio cat called. "Ok, my turn, lets go with Draco" "Truth or Dare?"

"Since were going along the lines of truth I pick truth to" said Draco

"Ok don't you, or is it only me, think that Hermione's make-over makes her look bloody gorgeous?" asked Blaise, casting a look at Hermione who had suddenly turned beat red..

"Hell yeah, I won't deny that!" said Draco. "I had already told her that when we were walking up here."

"Oh really?" said Blaise, rasing an eyebrow and casting a look between the two.

"Yes now enough with whatever crazy senreo is running through you head, my turn!" said Draco And the game went on and on until Draco's mom came home and took him home to get packed, for they were returning to Hogwarts tomorrow. "Today has been...fun, see you all back at school, he gave them a genuine smile, wave, and walked out the front door. Blaise and Max left a little while later, Dakota soon went upstairs to back and get some sleep, Hermione and Ginny went up to Hermione's room and while Hermione packed they talked about the day.

"Well Ginny, it looks like we lost an enemy and gained an...aquantince." said Hermione.

"Least we won't have him breathing down are necks this year" said Ginny jumping into the queen-sized guest bed next to Hermione's own bed.

"Yup, Night Gin!"

"Night Mione" and they dozed off to sleep waiting to see what another year at the unpredictable Hogwarts would bring them.

(A/N Ok guyz theres chapter 5, hope you enjoyed it, this on is a little bit longer because of all the talking! Did you guys like the little twist? Or the game of truth or dare, I did that for the soul purpose of showing you that Draco liked Hemione's changes, don't expect them to get together right away though! XoXo NiCoLe OxOx)

(P.S: **jjP91**: Dakota is starting her first year at Hogwarts so she, Max also, is 11, thanks for the review!


	6. New Year, New tricks

Your Joking, Right?

Chapter 6: New Year, New Tricks!

(A/N First of all I want to say thanks to all my reviewers up to chapter 5, _amarwo, dark lady shock, Machika, _**defyingxxxgravity,**_ Janangel, _**KJ**_, Then Kat Said, _**mistymixwolf aka Perch**_, purple panda 7, _**Devil angel o5**_, Missi-moolo, _**Draconess23456(lol, Emmy, my bff 4 life**, _noise, _**volcomhottie05!** Thank you all sooo much! Also, _Machika_ : as for where I got Dakota, she was my own idea, I just figured Hermione should have a little sister, im glad you like her! Ok enough praise, on with the chapter, this one is pretty long, its like 6 pages in my note-book so..!)

Hermione and Ginny awoke at 7 o'clock the following morning doe to Hermione's alarm clock. They both took showers, Ginny fits as she beat Hermione to it, Yes someone actually beat Hermione to something. Next they did each others hair. Hermione did Ginny's into a tight 'S' shaped bun, leaving 2 strands of hair, which she curled, to frame her face. Ginny did Hermione's hair very easily, she straightened it then curled a strand so there was a curl, then a straight strand, then a curl, and so on, the effect was very pretty. Next they got changed, Hermione in a light-blue mini-skirt with a white blouse that flared out at the sleeves and a poncho-like top. Ginny dressed similar to Hermione but in a light-pink mini-skirt and silver blouse. Next they double checked their trunks, Ginny's had been sent while they were sleeping, and then left the room and made their way downstairs.

They were going to King's Cross in a normal muggle taxi cab, along with Blaise and Max. Hermione waved to her parents then scooted into the cab closely followed by Ginny, Blaise, Max, and Dakota. Nothing very eventful happened on their way to King's Cross unless you count Blaise yelling "Get lost" out the window at a man walking down the street because he whistled at Hermione, who was looking out the window at the time. Blaise was like a new-found big brother to her, he would do anything for her.

The cab driver was glad to get rid of "those noisy brats" and Hermione, Ginny, Blaise, Dakota and Max, were glad to get rid of, as Blaise put it, " that evil, old, something that rhymes with sucker." This caused Hermione to yell "Blaise" and hit him upside the head. They got trolleys for their trunks and pushed them toward platforms 9 and 10. When they arrived at their destination, Dakota and Max went through the barrier first, then Hermione and Ginny, closely followed by Blaise. When they arrived on platform nine and three quarters they immediately saw the big red train. The Hogwarts Express, "Were going home" said Ginny.

They said goodbye to Blaise who spotted Draco a ways away with a few other seventh year Slytherins. Max followed his brother even though he looked a little apprehensive. Ginny immediately spotted Colin Creevy and his brother Denis and rushed over to say Hello. Hermione then spotted Harry and Ron talking with their current girlfriends Katie Bell and Hannah Abbott. As Hermione approached both Katie and Hannah wrapped her in a hug and said "Oh Mione' soo great to see you". Next Harry and Ron wrapped her in an even bigger hug, as they were about 5 feet taller then her, especially Ron, "Its our little Hermione" they cried, causing her to blush deeply.

"Looks like somebody had a good summer" said Katie, admiring Hermione's now straight and highlighted hair.

"You look great Mione'" said Hannah.

Let's go find a compartment, I have a LOT to tell you" said Hermione, linking her arms with her trio.

Harry, Ron, Hermione, Katie, and Hannah, soon joined by Ginny, Neville, and Luna found a compartment near the back of the train. Everyone sat down and Hermione quickly told them the story of her summer, with some details inputted by Ginny.

"You guys knew all this and you didn't tell us!" said Katie, pointing an accusing finger at her boyfriend, Harry, who smiled sheepishly. Hannah gave Ron a look of mock anger.

"Well yeah, BUT Hermione wanted to tell you guys herself." said Harry.

"Wow Mione' that's awesome' im soo happy for you!" said Hannah giving her a hug.

"Thanks Hannah" said Hermione, "Now will you guys please excuse me and Ginny here for a minute?" She grabbed Ginny by the wrist and pulled her into an empty compartment near the middle of the train, a ways away from their other friends.

"Gin, are you planning on telling the others about Blaise because I want to tell them about my new neighbors." said Hermione.

Ginny's eyes widened in shock and horror "Oh Mione' I dunno, I guess you could say I was living in the summer, I completely forgot that we would have to decide what we were gonna do when we got back to Hogwarts.

"Oh Gin, I no" said Hermione "Tell you what, lets go find Blaise, see what he says!"

"Oh Ok" said Ginny, brightening up a bit, but you do realize that probably requires dealing with the other 7th year slyther-dorks."

"Oh I don't care about them, Im Head Girl, we'll tell Blaise it prefect duties, or make up something like... his brother fell ill." said Hermione. "Oh Mione' no wonder they call you the brightest witch of your age, that's brilliant!" said Ginny, wrapping her best friend in a hug.

"Oh Ginny anybody could have thought of that. Lets go" And they left the compartment seeking a certain Blaise Zabini.

They had been searching for at least 5 minutes before they found him, at the complete opposite end of the train, seated in a compartment with exactly whom they had expected, Draco Malfoy, Pansy Parkinson, Gregory Goyle, Vincent Crabbe, and Theodore Nott, Ginny knocked on the compartment door and when they heard a cool male voice call "Enter", "that's King Malfoy" Ginny muttered", they entered the compartment, unwillingly. Hermione caught Blaise and Draco's eyes on her and Ginny, they seemed shocked that the two girls had even dared to come in.

"Zabini, Hermione spoke, Proffessor McGonagal sent us, she's in the prefect's compartment, she says your brother has fallen ill and we are to..er.. Escort you to her.

Pansy let out a shrill laugh "Escort him? What is he..five?"

"That's what McGonagal said Parkinson so shut your pug face and go back to snogging Malfoy" snarled Ginny, she sent an apologetic look Draco's way.

"Why you little.."started Pansy

"Let's go ladies" interrupted Blaise, shoving them bodily out of the compartment.

Ginny and Hermione burst out in laughter "Did you see the look on Parkinson's face when I told her to go back to snogging Malfoy, she looked like she was gonna do just that!" Ginny said through giggles. They walked quickly to catch up with Blaise, still quietly giggling.

The trio made their way back towards the middle of the train. As they passed the Prefect's compartment Blaise made to go inside but Ginny grabbed him by the shirt collar and drug him into the next compartment over.

"But what about Max?" protested Blaise.

"Max is perfectly fine as much as I know, acn't you tell a lie even when it's told to you by your own girlfriend?" asked Ginny.

"Oh no, haha" said Blaise "But why did you lie to me to get me out of the compartment?"

"Beacuse I just wasn't going to walk in their and ask if I could just talk to my boyfriend a minute in front of everyone." Ginny exclaimed.

"Why not?" asked Blaise.

"Oh because that would basically-_wait_- WHAT? Are you saying that you wouldn't mind going public?" asked Ginny, whirling around to face her boyfriend.

"Not unless you do Gin, I can give a crap less what this school thinks of me." said Blaise.

"Oh ok thats nice, I mean good." said Ginny, walking out of the compartment with Hermione.

"Hey Gin?"

Ginny turned back around to face her boyfriend, "Yea Blaise?"

"Can't a guy get a little love" he asked, holding out his arms with a puppy-dog look on his face.

"Of course baby" said Ginny, entering the compartment once more and sitting on Blaise's lap. Hermione, sensing a snog session coming on, quickly shut the door and made her way back to her compartment, kicked the boys out very courteously "Get your arses out, please!", and proceeded to change into her robes, next she pinned the "Head Girl" badged onto her robes, that's when it hit her, she checked her watch 11:28 a.m,_ Please rport to the Head Boy/Girl compartment on the Hogwarts Express at promptly 11:30am _. "Oh No". She quickly grabbed quill, ink, and parchment and dashed out of the compartment. "What the-" called Ron as she quickly sped by them waiting patiently against the side of the compartment, Hermione Granger-or-Damenzla is never late for anything. She arrived at the head's carriage only a minut after 11:30. She slid into a seat, only Professor McGonagal was present, no head boy yet.

"Welcome Miss Damenzla, or are you going to continue going by Granger while you are at Hogwarts?" asked her head of house.

"Oh no, I shall be using my birth name, and thank you, its good to be back!" she responded.

"Oh and heres are head boy now"said Professor McGonagal looking at the compartment door that had just slid shut.

Hermione's head whipped around. "You?" she said her jaw dropping.

(A/N Hahaha another cliffy, please don't hate me! The more you hate me the longer it may take me to update, nah just kidding. Chapter 7 is already written and ready to type out, don't worry I will have it up first thing tomorrow! V XoXo NiCoLe OxOx)

V

V( time to press the cut lil' review button!


	7. Good to be home!

Your Joking...Right!

Chapter 7: Good to be home!

(A/N ok guys first off all I want to say thanks to all of my reviews, I have 45 already! Wow! Lol, also I want 2 say thanks 2 some of u who do use constructive criticism! I may not like it, but im glad your honest, lol! Next off I want u guys 2 no that I will Not rush this story soo D+Hr getting together may take a while but they will start liking each other as you will be able to tell in the next few chapter! On with the chapter!)

"Yep me" said Blaise Zabini, smirking, "Surprised?".

"How dare you, I told you I was Head Girl almost every day during the summer and you never said anything!" Hermione said.

"Well I figured I would let you get your knickers in a twist pondering who it was!" Professor McGonagal gave a small cough, "Oh sorry Professor!" Blaise took his seat, next to Hermione, facing the Professor. Hermione couldn't help but grin she was glad Blaise was Head Boy, he was her 2nd cousin and had become one of her best friends.

Professor McGonagal proceeded to tell them their duties, "First you are in charge of all school events, such as dances and Hogsmeade visit, you also will patrol the halls every other night from 11-11:45, you may patrol together, or switch off with the prefects. Also as you know the Heads share a living quarter, this year, to promote house unity, Dumbledore and myself decided we would allow each of you to choose 1 other person you would like to share your rooms with the both of you, do you know who you wish to share your rooms with or will you take some time to decide?" asked the professor.

I know who I would like, Professor." said Hermione

"As do I!" said Blaise

"May I ask who, so I can send the names ahead to Albus?" said McGonagal.

"Ginny Weasley"

"Draco Malfoy"

"Ok, said the Professor, I must ask you not to let Mr.Malfoy nor Ms.Weasley know, Albus would like it to be a surprise."

"Yes Maam"

"You two may go" said Professor McGonagal.

The two heads went back to their separate compartments, thinking about what they just heard the whole way their.

They arrived at Hogsmeade station shortly and headed into the carriages that would take them up to the entrance hall, then proceed to the Great Hall for the Welcome Feast and Sorting Ceremony. The Sorting hat's song gave the usual background of the founders, but also a warning, keep your friends close, and your enemies closer, and to stay alert and trust only those who are trustworthy. The actual ceremony went by fairly quickly. The Gryffindor House gained 12 new students, which included Dakota, and to everyones surprise, Max. When Max's name was called Hermione and Ginny could have sworn they heard a cough that sounded distinctly like "Hufflepuff". Both girls turned 90 degrees to the right to see Blaise and Draco sniggering , they caught the boy's eyes and grinned. Draco muttering "it was me", this caused them to laugh. The Slytherin house got 12 new students also, and Ravenclaw and Huffelpuff both got 10 new students each. Next, much to Ron's delight, the food appeared. A little bit of everything could be found, Hermione felt a little guilty thinking about how much work the house-elves had to do, but she had given up on S.P.E.W 6TH Year.

Next Dumbledore had his usual speech, announcing house prefects and the Head Boy and Girl. When he finished he announced that he wanted to see Hermione, Blaise, Ginny, and Draco. Ginny turned to look at Hermione

"What's he want me and Malfoy for, were only prefects?", for Ginny had been made prefect the previous year.

"I dunno" said Hermione, trying to hold back a grin.

When they finished eating, Ginny and Hermione, made their way up to the staff table, out of the corner of her eye she saw Blaise and Draco also making their way up to the front of the hall, also, to her dismay, she also noticed quite a few male heads turn in her direction as she passed by, this caused her o be a little self-conscious, but she tried to ignore it, maybe they were staring at Ginny. As they reached the staff table Dumbledore greeted them.

"The Heads were allowed to each choose a person that will get to share there private living quarters with them, Mr. Malfoy and Ms.Weasley, you two are the lucky two who were chosen."

Ginny and Draco beamed at Hermione and Blaise.

"Shall I show you to your living area?" asked Dumbledore.

He led the four students up to the 5th floor and to a portrait of four students, one from each of the Hogwart's houses, lounging by the lake together.

"House Unity" muttered Blaise.

"You may choose your own password, Goodnight." said Dumbledore and he gave them a little smile and wave and was gone.

"What do you guys want the password to be?" asked Hermione.

"How about 'Unity'? Asked Ginny.

"Nah how about 'Daminion' it means 'powerful' and it uses at least 1 letter from each of our names. D-from Draco, A-from Blaise, M-from Hermione, I- from Ginny, N-from Hermione, I-from Blaise, O-from Draco, N-from Hermione.

"Ok, Daminion" Draco said to the portrait.

What they saw when the portrait opened took their breath away.

The common room was a very pale blue with an enchanted ceiling, like that of the Great Hall. There was a mahogany desk against one of the walls with two large bookshelves on either side. There was also a large fire-place with a couch for about 5, and 2 arm chairs on either side, they were a cerulean color, made of silk fabric with a few fluffy throw pillows. There were 2 spiral staircases, directly opposite the 4 students who stood, in aww, in the doorway. They proceeded into the common room and split up, Draco and Blasie, and Ginny and Hermione. Ginny and Hermione took the staircase on the right and proceeded up the twisting spiral staircase until they came to a portrait from a muggle movie "Mean Girls", four girls were present in the portrait, by the looks of it they were practicing a dance.

"Hi!" the red-head greeted them.

"Oh Cady stop sucking up!" snapped the light blonde. "Im Regina, the red-head you just talked to is Cady, this is Karen, she said indicating a dirty-blonde, and this here, she said indicating a curly-haired brunette, is Gretchen.

"What would you like your password to be, only you two are to know it." asked the brunette, Gretchen.

Hermione and Ginny looked at each other and silently agreed. "Girl's Rule".

On the left the boys also met a portrait. This one was from a muggle book "Huckleberry Finn", it showed two boys in a row boat, fishing.

"Hi, im Huck, and this here is Tom, whatcha want your password to be?" asked the younger boy in the portrait, Huck.

"How about 'Irrepressible"? Asked Blaise.

"Ok, 'Irrepressible'. Said Draco.

Hermione and Ginny were in a state of shock. Their room was a bright pink with a pink ceiling that must have had glitter in the paint because it sparkled. They had a huge white vanity and two large queen-sized beds, on either sides of the beds were two doors, as they walked closer to the doors to open them Hermione noticed her name was carved in the bed on the right in an elegant cursive, Ginny's on the left. They both took the doors closest to their beds and discovered that the doors led to large walk-in closets. They noticed, when they came out of the closets, there were also 2 doors on the left and right walls. They took the door on the right wall and discovered a large bathroom with a pool-like bathtub, and also a shower large enough for 3 people. They took the door on the left wall next, and found, to their liking, a kitchen, complete with refrigerator, sink, dishwasher, microwave, everything! There was also an island, and a round table with four stools, next to a window facing the lake and Hogwarts grounds. Hermione noticed a note on the sink,

_Dear Ms.Damenzla, Ms. Weasley, and Misters Zabini and Malfoy,_

_This kitchen adjoins your rooms, it is very simple to work, you wish on what you want and it shall appear, but sometimes you may have to do something to complete the meal, like heat it up or something. You can store extra food in the cabinets or refrigerator. Enjoy!_

_Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster._

_P.S . We do hope you still join us for most meals in the Great Hall._

"This is sooo coo" said Ginny"I want cotton candy", then magically a bag of pink and blue cotton candy could be found on th island. "Yay" she bounded over and grabbed it. "Good too" she said, stuffing a piece in her mouth.Just then Blaise and Draco came through the door.

"Wow" was their reaction.

Hermione handed Blaise the letter, he skimmed through it then went to 'help' Ginny get the cotton candy off of her mouth

"How are your rooms?" Hermione asked Draco

"Bloody Brilliant, there huge, larger then mine at home."he exclaimed"How abut you ladies?"

Hermione was a little taken aback, Draco Malfoy was never civil to anyone, let alone her. "Oh its quite pretty actually, I really like this though,she said gesturing at her surroundings.

"Yeah me to, now we don't have to sneak down to the kitchens, us Slytherins are notorious for that." he said, gaining his usual air of arrogance.

"Oh I've been down there to-" she was cut off by her own yawn. "Boy im tired, im gonna turn in, coming Ginny?"

"Yeah, let me say goodnight to my baby" said Ginny, kissing Blaise, and murmuring goodnight to Draco

"Wait, You and Ginny!They heard Draco say as they said the password to the 'plastics'as they called themselves, for they must have had 2 portraits because they had walked into this one now which had a large bed and a few sleeping bags in it, as if for a sleep over.

Hermione quickly changed into a pair of pink boy shorts and a tank top, and jumped into her bed when she found another note from the headmaster sating that she could change her bed and walls by imaging so she changed her side of the room to a powder blue and left her ceiling a sparkly silverwith a few glow-in-the-dark stars. Her sheets on her bed exactly like the ceiling except with a few sparkly blue fluffy pillows. Ginny did hers in pink colorsbut left the ceiling like Hermione's, except instead of glowing stars there was glowing hearts.

"Well Gin, sleep tight!" said Hermione.

"You too, Mione, thanks for picking me!"

"Of course!"

"Ok, well goodnight, its good to be home huh?"

"Sure is!"

(Ok well there's chapter 6, sorry I haven't updated, my gram had surgery soo I've been busy, but this chapter is long enough huh! Thanks again 2 all my reviewers!)


	8. PreperationsA day in Hogsmeade

Your Joking, Right?

Chapter 9: Preparation

It had been a few weeks since the incident on the beach and it was now nearing Halloween. Hermione and Blaise, as Heads, were now preparing for the Halloween Ball, with the help of Ginny and Draco. Hermione was spending all her free time, in the Head room planning the 'Haunted Halloween Dance' as Ginny named it. They had gotten done with the plans fairly quickly and now all that was left was to propose the plan to Dumbledore. The heads headed to the gargoyle that led to Dumbledore's office 'Tootsie Rolls' Hermione stated, and the gargoyle moved aside to give them entrance to the headmasters office.

"Are you ready for this?" asked Blaise

"As I'll ever be!" Hermione replied, and they headed up the stone gargoyle to see the Headmaster.

Blaise and Hermione took turns explaining what there plans for the ball were to Dumbledore.

"We are going to wear costumes, of our choice, but you must where a mask!" Said Blaise

"The Great Hall will be decorated in a spooky fashion for the event." said Hermione

"The Weird sisters will be playing, we have already got their confirmation letter, here" he handed Dumbledore the letter.

"The Kitchens have been informed of the food we would like, myself and Ginny Weasley will be baking a special treat" Hermione said with a sly grin on her face.

"Ahh I am excited, this will all take place this time in 2 days?"

"Yes sir!"

" Ok you are free to do what you would like with the hall the morning of the ball"

" Thank you sir"

"You may go onto Hogsmeade as today is a Hogsmeade trip I believe"

"Yes sir, thank you sir" they said baking out of the office.

The Heads ran back down the spiral staircase and sprinted to their rooms where they came to a hault at their portrait. Hermione quickly said the password and they stepped inside. Ginny and Draco were still there, Ginny curled on the couch staring intently at the fire, Draco pacing the room.

"What's up guys?" Blaise asked.

"Oh nothing much" Ginny said, getting off the couch, giving her boyfriend a swift kiss, then dragging her best friend into their bed rooms.

"Soo something is up?" Hermione stated as the portrait shut behind them.

"Yes, the Halloween Ball is in 2 days and Blaise has not asked me!" Ginny said, throwing her arms up in frustration and landing on her bed.

"Gee Gin, maybe because since you're his girlfriend he expects you are going with him know matter what?"

"Well what if someone else asked me and im tempted to tell them yes!

"Wait what, who asked you!" Hermione screeched, jumping on the bed and knocking Ginny off the other end.

"Ouff" Ginny got back on the bed. "Oh umm..uh..Zacharias Smith."

"Ohh Ginny, You know I, along with your brother and Harry, do not like him" Hermione sighed.

"First of all I don't care what my brother or Harry thinks, secondly, I think he has changed, he seems a little nicer now. And thirdly, come on Hermione, he's bloody gorgeous."

"Ok, Ok fine whatever, but like I said Blaise may already expect you to go with him!" Hermione replied.

"Fine I will wait 1 more day, I will avoid Zacharias one more day but if he doesn't invite me by tomorrow morning Im going with Zach." Ginny stated.

"Ok whatever, now can I get ready for Hogsmeade, Harry and Ron are probably waiting for me!"

Hermione grabbed a pair of white pants, a light pink long-sleeved shirt that had a low V-neck but included a white tank top underneath that way you didn't see anything, and a pair of white and pink converses. She quickly got changed, did her hair in a high ponytail with a few lose strands that she put behind her ears, put on some jewelry, then did her make-up. She was ready in a little less then 10 minutes.

"Wow" Ginny said, looking admirably at her friend. "All that would have taken me at least an hour, and you look awesome."

"Thanks Gin, now lets go!" she linked arms with Ginny and stepped out of the portrait hole, into the common room, and went right past Blaise and Draco who were conversing in low voices in the common room. The girls stepped out of the portrait hole and were gone.

Meanwhile the guys were having a similar conversation to Ginny and Hermione's.

"I don't know man, if you have to go with her you have to!" Blaise said.

"I know father would kill me if I didn't, but I have somebody else in mind that I would like to go with." Draco replied.

"Wait, who man tell me!"

"Hermione" Draco stated simply.

"When did this happen?" Blaise asked.

"I dunno, this whole year really, and not just because she's changed for the better, she's always been kind of intriguing, but now that I actually get to know her Im starting to like her a lot." Draco said.

"Ohh yeah I know, she's quite a character ,that girl, isn't she?" Blaise said.

"Yes, she is, but what about Parkinson?" Draco asked.

"Gee I don't...wait I got it! This ball is a Masquerade so go with Parkinson but then, say you are going to go get punch, dye your hair or change your color of your robes, and go dance with other people, you may not get to dance with Hermione but soo what, you will get to dance with a bunch of other ladies."

"Blaise, you really are a genius!"Draco said, clapping his best mate on the shoulder.

"Ohh I know!" Blaise said. "Now, onto Hogsmeade!"

"Ok lets go!"

"Hey wait, where are the ladies?" Blaise asked.

"Probably went ahead!" Draco stated.

"Hey they can't leave without us!" Blaise said.

"Yes, they can!" Draco said, raising an eyebrow at his best friend "What did you do to Ginny!"

"Nothing, I swear!"

"Ohh ok, speaking of Ginny, what are you two going to the ball as, or have you even asked her?" Draco asked, stepping out of the portrait hall and setting off down the corridor, Blaise at his side.

"Ohh gee I don't know yet, I will have to see what she wants to do!" Blaise said.

"Have you asked her yet?"

"Well no, but we are going out, she should no that means I want to go with her!"

"I don't know man, I don't know." Draco said, shaking his head, blonde hair going everywhere.

"Ohh Mione' look at these" Ginny said grabbing a light** pink** dress robe and holding it in front of Hermione's face.

"Ohh Gin, its gorgeous, go try it on." Hermione said, and took a seat, waiting for Ginny to come out of the changing room.

Ginny came out a few minutes later, the dress was a long one, it reached to about Ginny's ankles, it flared out at the bottom but was kinda clingy else where, but not inappropriately clingy. The dress had a V-neck, not a low one though. It had a few crystals lining the neck and sleeves which flared out at the bottom. It matched perfectly with Ginny's hair. "Hows it look?"

"Great Gin, really pretty, now you just have to find a mask." Hermione said.

"I have one!" and she held up a mask that matched the color of her dress with a big crystal heart in the right corner with two smaller ones on either side.

"Wow that's gorgeous!"

"Thanks Mione'!"

While Ginny went to change again Hermione looked around the shop for her robes, the girls decided they would both where robes instead of costumes but they would tamper with their robes so they looked something like costumes. Hermione had been looking for a mere 5 minutes when she found them, they were a very pale **greenish-blue**. She ran into the changing rooms to try them on.

When she came out Ginny was waiting for her, her dress was slung over the back of the chair.

"Wow Hermione, you look beautiful!" Ginny said. And indeed she did, the dress reached about the same height as Ginny's, but had silver lining at the bottom her dress was clingy also like Ginny's's but did not have a V-neck, instead it was a tube-top with a little loose material that hung double over her chest like a poncho-top. This loose piece of material was a sparkly-silver while the bottom half was the color of the dress.

"Thanks Gin!" Hermione said "And here's my mask, she held up a silver mask with three stars in the corner.

"Wow" was all Ginny said.

Draco and Blaise were in Eeylops Owl Emporium, buying an owl. It was a silver-white color and was medium sized. Blaise purchased it and took it, cage and all, with him. He sat on a bench and quickly wrote out a letter, then attached it to the foot of the newly- purchased owl.

"Find her immediately!" Blaise told the owl.

The owl took flight and both boys watched it while it flew just a little ways away.

"What was that all about?" Draco asked.

"Oh you will see!" Blaise said, grin plastered on his face.

Ginny and Hermione had been coming out of Honeydukes where they were buying candy for themselves, Hermione had also picked up some for Dakota, when they were stopped by Anthony Goldstein, a Hufflepuff seventh year.

"Hi Hermione, Ginny!"

"Oh Hi Anthony." both girls said. Ginny excused herself and made her way into the Three Broomsticks and sat at a booth by the table, that way Hermione and Anthony were in sight.

"Uhh Hermione, I was wondering if..err. Youwouldgototheballwithme"

"Oh im sorry Anthony I didn't quite catch th last part." Hermione said, grinning, she had heard exactly what Anthony had said even though it was a little rushed.

"Will you please accompany me to the Halloween Ball?" he asked again.

"Oh I would love to!" she said, flinging her arms around him. Then letting go and stepping back to look at him. He was about 5'6 and was well built, he played on the Hufflepuff Quidditch team, his hair was a dark brown and hung over his eyes which were a hazel color, he was very handsome.

"Oh Ok thanks" he said. "I shall pick you up in 2 days time outside of your portrait hole."

Hermione giggled at how sophisticated he was acting "Ok, you have to loosen up a little though!" she said jokingly.

"Ok" he said, wrapping her in another hug, her small 5'4 doing nothing for his tall 5"6!

Hermione pulled away "Bye Anthony!"

"Bye Hermione, and thanks again"

Hermione stepped into the Three Broomsticks and headed straight for Ginny, she knew Ginny had watched the whole scene as she was sitting by a window.

"Ohh Hermione Im so happy for you" Ginny stated. "He's hot!"

Hermione laughed "Do you say that about every guy?"

"No, just the hot ones!"

Both girls laughed for quite sometime until they were joined in their booth by two males.

"Soo what's soo funny?" Harry asked, sliding in next to Hermione.

"Yea, why the girly giggles?" Ron asked, sitting next to his sister.

"Oh nothing" both girls said.

The four ordered butterbeers and talked for quite sometime until a owl perched itself on the window outside and stared intently at Ginny.

"If I didn't know better I would say that's meant for you Ginny!" Harry stated.

"Yea go get it!" Hermione said.

Ginny ran outside and retrieved the owl she unti4ed the letter and began to read, a smile came over her face. "Hermione, im felling tired, lets get going!" she winked at the older girl.

"Ohh ok night guys, I'll come up to the tower tomorrow after im done decorating for the ball and we can go on an 'adventure'!"

"Ok" both boys grinned evilly.

Ginny and Hermione ran back up to the castle and didn't stop until they reached their bedroom in the head dormitory. Hermione collapsed on the bed and Ginny thrust the letter at her "Read this" Hermione took it and began to read.

_My dearest Ginny,_

_I realized I didn't properly ask you to the ball so I will do it here, now, in this letter. Ginerva Weasley will you please accompany me, Blasie Zabini, to the Halloween Ball? Haha that was soo cheesy! Well will you baby? Please!_

_Love, Blaise!_

_P.S. The owl is yours to keep as you don't have one yet!_

"It amazes me how he can be soo funny at such a serious time!" Hermione said, "Well are you gonna go with him?"

"I will be right back" Ginny said.

"Where are you going?"

"To find Zacharias Smith!"

And Ginny left the dormitory in a hurry.

"I do hope she's telling him no" Hermione thought to herself before getting back up, she looked at the clock, it was only 5 she still had a few mor hours to spend in Hosmeade, she grabbed her purse and headed back to the village, she still had to get a few things.

Hermione was coming out of Zonkos when she ran into a familar blonde.

"Hey Draco"

"Oh hey Hermione"

"Why so down?" she asked, hurrying to walk along-side him.

"Oh nothing!"

"You can tell me." she said.

"No actually I can't!" h snapped

"Oh ok" she said, looking a little crestfallen. "Well I have to be off, I want to find my friends!" she said in a aggravated tone.

"I didn't mean that Hermione" Draco called at her retreating back. But she just ignored him. He watched her as she walked away from him, never looking back.

"God what's his problem!" Hermione said to herself, not watching where she was going she walked into somebody else. "Oh im soo sorry!" she said getting up off the ground and dusting of her robes.

"That's quite alright Hermione!" Hermione looked up to find an all- to- familiar face.

"Professor Lupin Oh it is soo good to see you, how are things with you and Tonks?"

"Ohh good to see you to, and great actually" he said grinning. "Cup of coffee?" he asked pointing to the Three Broomsticks.

"oh no thanks, I was just there not to long ago, but I will still join you" she said.

"Her and Professor Lupin, soon joined by Harry, Ron, and Hagrid, sat at a table in the Three Broomsticks, talking in low voices about the Order, Harry, Ron, and Hermione, had just been admitted this past summer.

Hermione got back up to the Head dormitory about 2'o clock that night. She had went up to Gryffindor tower to deliver the things she had got for Dakota. When she returned to the familiar tower she had the urge to stay there all night, so she stayed for quite a few hours, playing exploding snap against Harry and Ron, playing a game of charades with the whole house, Max and Dakota had to act out Romeo and Juliet, it was quite a sight to see. Colin and Dennis Creevey, who had taken over as resident bad-boys after Fred and George, nicked some food from the kitchens and the whole of Gryffindor house, except Ginny, had a party.

When she entered the Head room it was only to discover a very big surprise. Draco and Blaise were in a heated row, Ginny was in the middle screaming at both boys to shut up!

"I do like her you know" Draco snarled.

"Yea like you liked all those other girls!" Blaise yelled back.

Both boys were red in the face, Ginny was trying to break them up but looked kinda scared, she was soo much smaller then both boys and could be crushed at any moment. Hermione soon also got in the middle, yelled at both boys to shut up and go to sleep, and then proceeded to drag Ginny up the stairs where she tried to question her about the guys verbal fight, but could not get anything out of her, so she changed into her pajamas, went into the bathroom to brush her teeth, then came back and tucked herself under her covers trying to fall asleep, but to no avail, she couldn't get over why the guys had ben fighting so heatedly. Little did she know one other person was also lying awake, knowing exactly why they were fighting.

(Well guys that was really really long, lol! Hope you liked it! Chapter 10 will be setting up and maybe a little of the ball, it depends on how long it takes for them to set up and the Golden Trio's adventure takes to write. Well you know what to do next I hope! ReViEw!oXo NiCoLe OxOx!

http/ out my page if you want to know more about me, if you're a member send a friend request and/or message!


	9. Were almost there!

Your Joking, Right!

Chapter 10: The Big Day!

(A/N: Thanks again for the reviews, 74 of them, Wow! Ok last chapter, some of you didn't pick up on the fact that they were fighting about Hermione, Blaise thinks Draco wants Hermione for a one-night stand and that's it, and he doesn't want to see Hermione get hurt because she is his cousin and one of his best friends. Also, _Machika_: you had a really good point, I didn't really think about that, but too late now, I will just have to go with the flow. Now on with the Chapter!)

Hermione, Ginny, Blaise and Draco were all rudely awakened by a loud banging and shrill voice coming from the portrait hole leading into there common room. Hermione and Ginny grabbed their robes and headed into the common room where they met with Draco and Blaise. From here the voice was crystal clear.

"Drakey, Drakey are you up yet, come on you have to help me pick out what im wearing for the ball!" came the voice of Pansy Parkinson from the other side of the portrait hole.

Hermione, Ginny and Blaise gave Draco withering looks, it was because of his annoying date that they were up at 5 am on a Sunday. The trio proceeded to the steps, leaving Draco to deal with his date. When Ginny and Hermione reached there room they put a quietus charm on it, and proceeded to do the same when they went into the kitchen 10 minutes later, realizing they were not going to be able to go back to sleep. Blaise also came into the kitchen a few seconds later.

"Damn that Pansy Parkinson, she used to do this at the Slytherin dormitories to but I never dreamed she would come here and do it, this was my year to actually get some rest." he exclaimed.

"She must be really taken with Malfoy to be doing this at 5 am!" Ginny grumbled, putting emphasize on 5 am.

"Oh yes, she would die if Draco wasn't around her for at least 10 hours a day." Blaise replied, sweeping a strand of hair from Ginny's eyes and giving her a kiss on the forehead, she appeared to be in a very foul mood.

Ginny got up to make some coffee she had just magicked out of the air. "Draco better not come in here, Ginny might just strangle him." Blaise said to Hermione, which caused her to laugh.

"Nah not Ginny, she'll hit him with her bat-boogey hex, those are her specialty." Hermione casually replied.

Ginny returned to the table with coffee for the three of them, Blaise wished for doughnuts out of the air, the three had been eating and talking, while still waking up, for at least 15 minutes before Draco walked into the room, looking highly-annoyed, but not as annoyed as Ginny.

"Get rid of your stupid girlfriend?"she snarled.

"She is not my girlfriend" he replied, an icy tone coming to his voice.

"Then why the bloody hell is she waking us up at 5 am?" Ginny yelled, getting to her feet and drawing her wand from her robe.

"Because she is Pansy Parkinson!" Draco replied simply, taking a seat and grabbing a doughnut "It is her job to be annoying!"

"Well she should get a raise" Hermione put-in, this caused everyone to chuckle. "If Pansy would get a galleon for all the times she was annoying, she would be richer then every family in the wizarding world combined"

About half an hour later, all four were once again in the common room, dressed in their worst clothes. They were about to head down to the Great Hall to meet with the other prefects and start decorating for the ball. The four were one of the first people to show, Hannah and Ernie were already there, but that was it. No more then 5 minutes later the rest of the prefects showed up, Ron, being last gained an aggravated look from Hermione.

"Ok prefects, first thing I want you to do is divide into pairs!" Hermione commanded, once everybody had found a partner Blaise gave them the next set of directions.

"1 person from each pair, come up to me or Hermione and grab a sheet of paper, each piece has a specific job that you and your partner are to work on!"

Each pair came up and got a piece, Hermione took one for herself and Ginny and Blaise took one for himself and Draco. Hermione passed out all the sheets then went to find Ginny and begin there job, going down to the kitchens and foreseeing the cooking, Hermione had made sure to save this sheet for herself and Ginny.

Hermione and Ginny had stayed down in the kitchens for 2 hours, they had also made there special treat while they were down there, brownies with a potion in them to change the appearance of the person who eats the brownie, such as, if Ginny ate a brownie, her appearance that gets her noticed the most, in her case her hair, would change to what she would like it to be, blonde. They could not wait to see what would happen to other people, the brownies also had a dose of Veritaseum in it, no liars tonight, both girls had said. They proceeded back up to the Great Hall to find everybody had finished, the hall looked marvelous. There was fog hanging in the air from a spell Dumbledore had given Hermione, live bats flew from one end to the other. There was an eerie, spooky feeling to the room and Hermione loved it, she had always enjoyed going to muggle haunted houses when she was younger, but in the magical world a haunted house, or hall in this particular case, was taken to new height. The house ghosts were floating around the hall and fake blood was splattered about.

"Wow!" was all Ginny could say.

"Its awesome" Hermione exclaimed, "Just as I pictured it."

Ginny ran to the other end of the hall "Wow Mione' look" she exclaimed pointing at the large pond in the corner of the hall.

"Yeah it's a magic swamp from Fred and George but I enlarged it and put a few boggarts, charmed as Inferi, into it. But they will not attack you, I had already formed Harry and he flipped out, until I told him they were only boggarts of course. There are also a few boggarts charmed as dementors around here too, they also will not attack you either."

"Wow this is neat Hermione!"

"Thanks, I really put are ideas to work , huh?"

"Yeah you sure-"

"BOO!"

"AHHH" Both girls took off running to the other side of the hall.

"What the bloody hell was that!" Hermione yelled.

There answer came soo enough when Draco and Blaise sauntered across the hall to them, laughing their heads off.

"Aww did we scare you ladies?" Blaise asked.

"Noo!" Ginny replied.

"Ha, yea right, you ran like little girls, and Gryffindors are supposed to be brave!" Draco said rolling his eyes and smirking.

"Shut up ferret!" Ginny replied.

"Not again with the ferret stuff!" he sneered. "Well Head Boy/Girl I must compliment the both of you, this is going to be the best Halloween Dance I have ever been to in my 7 years here!"

"7 years!" Hermione said "It's a miracle to think on September the 1st next year I will not be in a rush to catch the train for Hogwarts again, isn't it?"

"I will" Ginny replied, happily but a little sad at the same time.

"Oh don't worry Gin, just because were not here with you doesn't mean we won't keep in touch, just think how many letters you will be getting next year!" Hermione laughed.

"Yeah Gin, don't worry we still love ya!" Blaise said putting his arm around his girlfriend.

"I know you do!" Ginny said, kissing him, which caused a major snogging session.

"Major PDA!" Draco stated as himself and Hermione continued making there way to the dormitories.

When they reached the Head room, the two sat down on the armchairs facing the fire.

"Its amazing how I came back this year expecting the same, you, the stupid slimy git, Blaise the Slytherin weird-o, and Ginny, me and Harry and Ron the inseparable group that almost all the teachers loved, but it is soo different." Hermione said.

"I know, its soo weird how I came back and you and Blaise were friends, Ginny and him more, Potty and Weasel barely had you around, and I actually like you, a lot."

"Gee thanks Draco!"

"Your welcome, its true though, soo you know!"

Hermione walked over to the couch, plopped down beside him and gave him a hug,"I like you a lot too!"

Draco and Hermione just kept staring at each other, Draco moved in, Hermione could see his blue-silver eyes very clearly, he was mere inches apart, then...

BANG, Ginny and Blaise slammed in through the portrait hole, Hermione and Draco hurriedly moved to opposite ends of the couch.

"Well come on Mione' we have got 5 hours to get ready" Ginny grabbed her best friend off the couch and they proceeded to make their way into their rooms to get ready for the Ball.

"5 hours" Both boys, staring at the path the girls had just taken to their rooms, one looking as little upset.

"Perfect timing Blaise my-man!" Draco snarled.

"Now what did I do!" Blaise said, cooly.

"I was just about to tell Hermione how much I liked her then bang, there's you two at the portrait" Draco said.

"Ohh so that's why you two were sitting soo close." Blaise laughed until Draco chucked a pillow at him, hitting him square in th face.

"Gin, can I ask you something?" Hermione asked, as Ginny brought out there dresses.

"Sure, anything, you know that Mione'." Ginny replied, dropping their robes on her bed, then gracefully sitting on the edge of Hermione's bed facing her best friend.

"How did you know you liked Blaise?"

"Easy, when he came over your house, I would try to act like I was the best around him and not even knowing it, I would defend him, even though I didn't have to, I would always try to look great around him also., plus we would bicker and fight about the dumbest things." Ginny replied smoothly.

"Check, Check, Check, Check!" was all Hermione could think. "Gin, can I tell you a secret, that you cannot tell another soul."

"You know you can Mione'!"

"Pinky Promise?"

"Pinky Promise, Now get on with it!" Ginny said.

"Gin, I think I like someone!"

"Who?"

"Ohh um, do I have to tell you who?" Hermione asked,

"Of course you do!" Ginny said, she was excited now.

"Ohh ok umm... well.. he's really hot, he's not in Gryffindor, and we live with him, 3 guesses who"

"Oh my GOD, Hermione, you like Malfoy!" Ginny screamed at th top of her lungs, and pointed an accusing finger at her best friend.

"God, Gin' shut the bloody hell up" Hermione yelled, clapping a hand over her mouth, she had never cussed before.

"The rooms are sound proof, no worries!" Ginny replied, "So what are you gonna do about it?" Ginny asked.

"I don't know, we were gonna do something until we were rudely interrupted!" Hermione replied.

"Ohh so that's why you were sitting so close on th couch!" Ginny said, slapping her hand to her forehead, it had just dawned on her. "He was gonna kiss you!"

"Duh, now let's get ready for the ball!" Hermione replied, jumping off her bed and grabbing her robes.

(Well guys there chapter 10, next chapter, The Halloween Ball! I am sooo sorry it took me soo long to update, please don't hate me! I had a hectic weekend, tomorrow, if I can, I will post 11 and 12, that's if I can though! Ok well press the cute lil' review button! XoXo NiCoLe OxOx!)


	10. A night filled with Magic

Your Joking, Right!

Chapter 11: A Magical Night

(A/N Hi again guys, I am soo incredibly sorry that I have been lagging in the update department! I haven't been writing out my chapters so it's been taking a while to update but im getting on track. Ughh I go back to school on the 23rd, Freshmen ahhh, doesn't that stink? Lol, _Draconess23456 a.k.a. Emily, I know you are going to love a part in his chapter! _Ok well on with the chappie!)

Hermione and Ginny were dressed within an hour. Hermione had altered her dress to fall right before her knees, she also made the silky light- green material zigzag at the bottom so it looked like one of her favorite muggle characters, Tinker Bell. She added a pair of silver sparkly wings, charmed her wand so there was a little glass star at the top, dyed her hair temporary cornflower blonde just like Tink's, and put on some light green eyeshadow that contrasted horribly with her now- once- again brown eyes, she decided brown was her color. So she decided to put on a silver glitter eyeshadow which turned out to look really cute. Next she pulled her dyed hair into a tight bun at the middle of her head, added some glittery spray to it, then pulled on her silver mask. She added a little lip-gloss then put the tube in her pocket, and she was now ready to go. She looked over at her best friend, Ginny Weasley who was also ready.

Ginny had left her light pink dress the color and length it was, but charmed some of the material to be a pale pink. She also shortened her sleeves to her shoulders and made them puffy and pale pink, she dyed her red hair blonde, by eating a brownie, and straightened it. She then added a tiara to he hair, put on some makeup and jewelry, then her mask. She was the mirror image of Sleeping Beauty.

"Wow, we look good!" Ginny exclaimed as herself and Hermione stood in front of the huge mirror in the bathroom.

"Yeah we do, be right back!" Hermione yelled and dashed back into their room, she rummaged in her trunk and grabbed her digital camera. Yes she had a digital camera, Yes it worked here, Yes she used it often, it was a muggle camera so she had to charm the pictures to move though.

"One quick picture for my scrap book" Hermione said.

Ginny gave her a reproachful look she hated taking pictures she could never look good in them, unlike perfect Hermione, even before her make-over she looked great, Hermione had never realized she didn't need her make-over to look good, she just needed confidence. Pictures to Ginny were a curse.

"Please Ginny, just one little picture, you take good pictures." Hermione begged.

"Yeah right I do!" Ginny replied.

"Please!"

"Fine, Fine, but just one!"

"Ok"

Hermione's one picture turned out to be like 5. She took a shot of the both of them, a shot of Ginny, Ginny took a shot of her, a shot of them both by the window, and another shot sitting on Hermione's bed. Once their photo shoot was over, they put on their shoes, Hermione's a flat, silver pair, if there was one thing Hermione would never wear, it was high- heels. Ginny put on a pair of high-heels in a light pink and both girls headed down the stairs to the common room, when both of them reached the bottom step they struck a pose for their escorts who were waiting for them in the common room.

"Hey Goldstein I thought we were taking a Ms. Hermione Damenzla and Ms. Ginny Weasley not these two beauties." Blaise asked the guy next to him.

"No Mr. Zabini I believe these beauties are our dates." Anthony replied.

"Well aren't we lucky."

Both girls laughed, then descended the stairs to meet their dates. Anthony, Hermione's date, was dressed as Will Turner from Pirates of the Carribean (_A/N Lol, Emily_), Hermione couldn't help but notice he looked very similar to him. Blaise was dressed in a long black overcoat with his black hair slicked back, old Draco style back in the day, and black sunglasses.

"Matrix?" Ginny questioned, raising an eyebrow at her boyfriend.

"Why of course" he replied. "I don't know many muggle movies"

"Well, being best friends with a person who was raised by muggles does have its advantages, right Mione'?"

"Yup" Hermione replied, "Now let's get going!" She linked arms with Anthony, Ginny and Blaise following suit, and the four made their way down to the Great Hall.

When the four reached the hall Hermione and Blaise said a hurried goodbye, for they had to open the ball, they cast an invisibility charm on themselves and made their way to the stage Hermione extinguished all the lights in the hall, leaving everybody in complete darkness, then she lit one single candle which Blaise was holding and she took it from him and held it to her face, the single candle gave the room and eerie glow.

"Welcome one and all to Hogwarts First Annual Haunted Halloween Ball" Blaise said in a deep spooky voice.

"May the Fun Begin!" Hermione said, also making her voice sound creepy. She then lit all the candles in the hall, which gave enough light so you could see around you but not soo much that you could pin-point every person. Hermione adored the creepy atmosphere of the place. Everyone gave the heads a round of applause for their opening then started to dance as the weird sisters took the stage. Hermione and Blaise quickly found Ginny and Anthony, Anthony asked Hermione to dance and she willingly led him onto the dance floor. She was glad it was a fast tune, all her summer nights at 'Revenue' had finally paid off, she finally got to show off her moves. Anthony, she couldn't help but notice was a lot like Cody. _"Cody!" Hermione thought to herself, "I never properly broke up with him, Oh well, I will during break_." She didn't give her muggle boyfriend another thought as the night went by. Anthony and Hermione had danced a lot, they only missed 1 song because she had gotten thirsty. A slow song came on and Anthony led Hermione onto the dance floor, he placed his hands on her waist and she put her arms around his neck, she stared into his forest green eyes, she couldn't help but like him.

"_But you like a certain blonde haired Slytherin better and you know it."_

Yeah she did like Malfoy better, and she did know it but that didn't mean she couldn't like Anthony to. They continued to dance until the song was over, Hermione deep in thought until Anthony interrupted her.

"Care to join me for a walk outside?" he asked.

"Sure, I'd love to" she replied. He took her hand and they made their way out of the castle and into the chilly October air. Hermione smiled at the fact that, had she been a muggle, she would probably be passing out candy to the tiny kids dressed as witches and wizards, she herself knew the truth though and she was glad.

Anthony led her to a tiny bench, beside the lake and they both sat down.

"Hermione" he turned to look at his date. "Im really glad you came tonight, with me."

"Oh me too Anthony" she replied.

"Really?"

"Yeah really or else I would not have said yes."

"That's great!" he replied, then leaned in to kiss her, she kissed back but then as realization dawned on her, pulled away.

"Oh im sorry, Anthony but I can't do this, not yet." She said getting up.

"That's ok, would you like to go back inside and dance some more?"

"Yes, ok, sure" she replied.

They went back into the hall and danced to a few more songs, after the third song Anthony went to get refreshments and Hermione made a beeline for a table where she saw Ron, Harry, Katie, Hannah, Ginny, and a very sullen looking Blaise. She conjured two extra chairs as she reached the table and took a seat, saving the extra for Anthony. He came back shortly with two cups of butterbeer and a few brownies, Ginny and Hermione exchanged a smirk, Ron took one of the brownies and bit into it, almost immediately his hair turned, bright pink, everybody at the table burst out laughing, Ron just gave them funny looks and finished his brownie.

"That should last about a week" Hermione muttered to Ginny. Both girls laughed.

Next Harry took a brownie and his scar disappeared, but then his ears grew to be pointy and long, like a house-elves, this caused another round of chuckles, by then everybody had caught on to the secrets of the brownies and didn't eat anymore, that is except Blaise who had turned away during the event too look for somebody, but he soon turned back and grabbed a brownie and bit into it. His nose grew to be about the size of Snape's, this caused an uproar and everybody at the table was almost falling out of their seats laughing. Blaise, like Ron, was completely oblivious to it.

"Nice Hair Weasley, Nice ears Potter!' he muttered

"What!" they both exclaimed and grabbed their goblets to see their reflections in it.

"Bloody Hell!" they both yelled at the same time.

Draco had sauntered across the hall at that exact time "Blaise, man I thought you were coming as the Matrix not Professor Snape." he said laughing.

"What are you on about Malfoy?" he asked.

Draco held up his goblet and Blaise saw his reflection

"What the-(BLAISE! Said Hermione)-?" he yelled. "What the hell is up with those things?" He asked, pointing a finger at the brownies, suddenly realization dawned on him.

"Hermione Marie Damenzla, Ginerva Ann Weasley. What the bloody hell did you do to those brownies.?" He yelled.

Both girls put on innocent faces.

"Whatever do you mean?" Ginny asked, batting her eyelashes at him.

" Your 'special' treat!" He snarled.

"Ok, fine" Hermione said, "It was our doing, Happy Halloween" she said putting on a false cheerful face.

"How long will it last?" He asked.

"Bout a week" Ginny replied.

"Oh God, a week as Snapes twin" Blaise said slumping back into his seat and putting his head in his hands.

"I ate one of those brownies and nothing bad happened to me." Draco said.

"Lucky you!" Ron snarled, "Why are you over here anyways ferret?"

"Good question!" Draco replied coldly getting up from the table and saying goodbye to Blaise. As he turned his back on them, the 7 at the table burst out laughing, there on the back of his neck was a temporary tattoo, it was a picture of a lion and said Gryffindor rocks my sock.

"Nothing bad happened to him" Blaise muttered, laughing. "Can't wait until the other Slytherins notice!"

Hermione took a dance with each of the males at her table, and Draco who had cut in after Blaise, Hermione couldn't help but notice how good she felt dancing with him. _I really like him, she thought to herself._ They danced one slow song, one fast song, then they went back to their separate tables. Anthony immediately asked her to dance once more and she gratefully accepted.

After the last dance everybody in the hall stood in a big circle, Hermione and Blaise at the center on a podium.

"Ok on the count of 3 everybody unmask yourself." Hermione said. "1...2...3...Go!" Everybody looked around the room to see who they had danced with that evening. Hermione had already knew who she danced with, Blaise, Draco, Anthony, Ron, and Harry. After about a minute everyone started laughing, there was something funny about almost everybody. Some had large noses, like Blaise, weird hair, like Ron, large ears, like Harry, Knit eyebrows, like Colin Creevey, Tattoos of other houses, like Draco, antlers or animal ears, like Parvati Patil, a glowing aura about them, like Pansy Parkinson. It was quite a sight to see. Hermione decided she should tell them.

"As you all may have noticed you all look a little er.. Different." Hermione started. "This is due to the brownies, if you did not have one you are lucky but if you did there is something Different about you, there are colored hair, animal ears, animal tails, large ears, large noses, tattoos of other houses, color auras, knit eyebrows, and other things, this will all go away, and I must warn you not to try and charm them or get them off in any way, they will only spread." Hermione said. "Well I hope you have had a good evening!" She said. Everybody began to file out except for prefects and the heads who were to clean up, some students looked amused, others a little aggravated.

It took about another 2 hours to clean, Hermione, Ginny, Blaise, and Draco reached their room at about 3 in the morning, all looked tired and a little grumpy. Hermione and Ginny immediately headed up to their rooms and changed and readied for bed. When they were finally done they shut the lights off and climbed into their separate beds. Hermione lay their, just thinking, for at least another hour until a certain red head interrupted her.

"Hermione are you still awake too?"

"Yea Gin."

"Well can I ask you something?"

"Sure Gin"

"Do you like Anthony?"

Hermione sat up in bed, lit a candle and turned to face her best friend who also sat up.

"How did you know?" She asked.

"It was kind of obvious, you looked soo happy dancing with him, you looked like you were enjoying yourself." Ginny replied.

"Yea I like him." Hermione said.

"Well what about Draco?"

"I don't know Gin, That's what is bugging me, I like him to, a lot." Hermione replied

" You looked happy dancing with him to, well your gonna have to decide!" said Ginny.

"How?" Hermione asked.

"I don't kno-" she was cut off by an owl swooping in the open window.

"Faith?" Hermione said, fetching her owl. There was a scroll of parchment tied to the owls leg.

"Open it!" Ginny urged.

Hermione grabbed the parchment and began to read...

_Dear Hermione_,

_I wanted to know if you would like to accompany me to Hogsmeade next weekend. Im to chicken to ask you in person so I figured this would have to do. So please owl me back as soon as you have an answer._

_Yours Truly_

"No name!" Hermione said staring at the _yours truly_.

"No way" Ginny said, snatching the parchment from her friends hands.

"This stinks!" Hermione said, laying back on her pillows.

(Well there it is, hope you enjoyed! You all know what to do now! ReViEw! XoXo NiCoLe OxOx)


	11. It's a mystery!

Your Joking, Right!

Chapter 12: Hermione's Mystery guy

(a/n Hey guys, thanks for the reviews of course, this chapter may surprise some of you, it may also be what some of you expected. Lol, some people like my story, some don't but that's alright, im going to finish it and try something new, its your guys decision to read it, not mine. When I started writing my story I said flamers were welcome, and I have received some, but I have got good reviewers too and that's all that counts. Once again thanks to all my reviewers, I love you all! The **XoXo**'s separate paragraphs!)

**XoXo ** **XoXo**

Hermione and Ginny had spent half the night trying to decide who had sent Hermione the letter. Ginny had thought it was Anthony but Hermione had shot her down right away,

"If Anthony had wanted to take me to Hogsmeade he would have asked me at the ball, I was his date after all."

"I guess" Ginny said.

They had stayed up thinking until about 4:30 am when they decided to finally give up and try to get at least an hour-and-a-half worth of sleep, but as expected, neither of them did.

**XoXo** **XoXo**

At the sound of Hermione's alarm clock both girls got out of bed and started to get ready for another week of classes, Hermione ,of course, was excited, Ginny, looked a little sullen, but she was excited about 1 thing this week, the Gryffindor-Slytherin Quidditch match which was to take place on Wednesday. Blaise and Hermione, as Heads, had decided to hold the match at night time to give the game a little more excited atmosphere. Ginny had tried to persuade Hermione to try out for the team but Hermione had refused saying it would take up her studying time, but that was only half true, even though Hermione had flown a lot over the summer she was still not that comfortable in the air, she preferred her feet on the ground thank you.

"Mione'?"

"Yea Gin?"

"Have you given the letter anymore thought?" Ginny asked timidly.

"Ughh. Actually.. Yea, I have, and I still haven't a clue who it could be." Hermione replied, sighing and falling back on her bed, messing up her hair she had just started to curl.

"And?"

"I don't know Gin, I just don't know"

"Oh, me either, well lets head down!" Ginny said, grabbing her bag and pulling her friend off the bed.

"One minute!" Hermione used a glamour charm to curl her hair, it kind of looked like her hair did last year except for the highlights, she liked her curly hair a little better then the straight do' she had been sporting for the last 3 months.

**XoXo** **XoXo**

Both girls entered the hall and made their way to the Gryffindor table, Hermione plopped down between Harry and Ron, Ginny continued down the table to Colin and a few of her fellow 6th years.

"Hermione, it's been ages!" Harry said, sweeping his hair out of his face, exposing the lightning bolt scar.

"It has hasn't it?" she asked, turning to her right to see if Ron had seen her come in.

"Hello to you to Ron."

"Oh Hermione, didn't even see you come in!" he said, stuffing his face with food, as usual.

"Wonder why!" she muttered sarcastically, rolling her eyes, and causing Harry to snigger.

"Hey guys, lets go out to the willow, for old times sakes." Harry said, addressing his two best friends.

"Ok" Hermione said, grabbing a piece of toast, getting up from the table, and grabbing Ron by his robes.

"Can I at least finish eating?" he muttered, looking at his plate which was still half full.

"No!"

She continued to drag the redhead out of the hall, through the Entrance Hall, and out of the oak front doors, never noticing the pair of silver-blue eyes that followed her all the way out of the hall.

**XoXo ** **XoXo**

Draco Malfoy sat at the Slytherin table with his usual cronies, Blaise, Crabbe, and Goyle. He couldn't help but glance in the head girl's direction every once in a while, only to find her laughing and talking with the idiots she called friends. Potty and Weasel were lucky she even hung around with them, if it wasn't for her they would still be in first year, they were that dense.

"Oy Malfoy, are you even listening to a word im saying?" he heard Blaise call, it sounded like miles away but he knew that Blaise was sitting right at his side.

"Yea, Yea I heard everything you said." Draco muttered nonchalantly.

"Maybe if you stop ogling my cousin you would have heard what I was saying" Blaise muttered in his ear.

"I wasn't ogling her, I was watching...errr...umm" he stuttered.

"Uh huh" Blaise said, rolling his eyes at his friend.

Draco was a little jealous of Weasley and Potter, they had got to be around Hermione about half their lives, he never had. They got to know her, he didn't even know her favorite color, it just wasn't fair. But the other side of him had to admit, he had never given himself the chance to get to know her, it was all his fault. Draco, by now very angry, grabbed his bag and swung it over his shoulder, and stalked out of the Great Hall and made his way back up to the Heads Room.

Meanwhile, Hermione had just told Harry and Ron about the mystery letter.

"Do you know who sent it?" Ron asked.

"No Ronald or else I wouldn't be telling you!" Hermione snapped, clearly irritated with her friends stupidity.

"Ok well, did you recognize the writing?" Harry asked.

"No, but I didn't really look, thanks Harry!" Hermione said, and she grabbed her bag and ran all the way back to the common room to check out the note.

"She's bloody crazy" Ron said, watching her sprint back across the lawn.

"Nah she's just... Curious, yea Curious." Harry replied.

**XoXo XoXo**

The rest of that day and Tuesday went by in quit a blur. Hermione and Ginny had examined the note through and through and still had know clue as to who the mystery guy could be. Harry had tried to hlp them but gave up after a while and went out with Ron to do some flying before the Quidditch match which was to take place in about 4 hours. Classes that day had been canceled for the match and most of the students were on the grounds enjoying the weather. Hermione and Ginny were now presently sitting under the large oak tree examining the note. Hermione heard approaching footsteps and looked up to see none other then a familiar first year.

"Hi sweetie!" Hermione said, getting up of the ground and wrapping her little sister in a hug.

"Geez sis it's not like I haven't see you in forever, I saw you at breakfast this morning" Dakota said, rolling her eyes.

Hermione's eyes traveled past her sister and stopped on who was behind her, Max Zabini and Gabrielle Delacour, when Fleur had moved to London to live with Bill her family had also moved here, now Gabrielle attended Hogwarts.

"Oh this is Gabr-"

"I know who she is, good to see you Gabrielle"

"Hello Herm-i-nee" the young girl said.

"How do you know her?" Dakota.

"Old friends" Hermione replied. "Now shoo, Hermione said, pushing her sister and friends away, Dakota stalked away, Max pushed her away, and Gabrielle stood still and raised an eyebrow at the girl who was ages older then her. Hermione burst into laughter at the sight of Gabrielle with her eyebrow raised, she was a spiting image of Malfoy, except for her silver blonde which was almost to the her hips. After the kids were gone Hermione and Ginny examined the note a little more then packed their bags and made their way into the school for lunch.

**XoXo XoXo**

The Quidditch match lasted only about 2 hours which was short for a match. Gryffindor had one, of course. Harry had caught the snitch after only about 3 goals on Gryffindor's part and one on Slytherin's. Ginny had been ecstatic when she found Hermione in the crowd after the game saying that they were undefeated and could win the cup for the 4th time straight. The two, soon joined by Harry and Ron, made their way up to Gryffindor Tower for a victory party which lasted until about 3 in the morning. Hermione had enjoyed herself, Colin and Dennis Creevey had got their hands on a box of Weasley's Wildfire Whiz-Bangs, and sent them off all over Gryffindor Tower, Dakota and Max had nicked food from the kitchens, and their was a raging party as a result. Katie had turned up the volume on a magical stereo and everyone was dancing and having a good time. Hermione had kept a watch on her sister who seemed to be enjoying herself with Max. Hermione couldn't help but laugh as she saw all the first, and some second year guys, trying to get a dance in with her 'My sister is better acquainted then I was in first year' she thought. A slow song came on and Hermione danced this one with Seamus who had asked her to dance. Hermione spotted Katie dancing with Harry, Ron with Parvati, and Ginny with Dean, she also noticed that Max and Dakota were dancing 'their way to young to be dating, right?' she thought to herself. The song ended and Hermione suddenly felt a little tired, she kissed Seamus on the cheek to thank him for the dance then proceeded to say goodnight to everyone and grab her best friend of the couch where she was presently sitting a little close to Dean.

"What?" Ginny asked as Hermione gave her a look as if to say 'what was that?'

"Why were you flirting so openly with Dean when you are dating Blaise?" Hermione asked her.

They had reached the portrait and Hermione said the password.

"I was not flirting with Dean, I was dancing with him!" Ginny snapped back "Why do you care anyways?" she said, raising an eyebrow.

"Because he's a friend and I don't want to see him hurt" Hermione replied. "And you were flirting with Dean, you were practically ogling him, and the way you were dancing with him during the fast songs."

"I was not doing anything wrong with Dean except having a good time!" Ginny yelled.

Just then the bathroom door opened and put came Blaise with a look of mingled fury and surprise on his face "You were what with Thomas?" he asked, as calm as he could manage.

"Errr. Ugh. Nothing." Ginny said, staring intently at the ground.

"Sure Weasley" Blaise said, coldly then he swept past the girls and made his way up the boy's dormitory.

Ginny looked up at Hermione with a cold glare on her face "Thanks Hermione!" she said coldly, then she stomped back out of the portrait hole, leaving Hermione standing in the Head Common room.

"I didn't mean-" Hermione started then, as the tears started to fall, ran up the stairs to her dormitory and cried, she grabbed her pillow and screamed into it, she had just broken up a great couple and probably lost her best friend. "Good job Hermione!"

**XoXo XoXo**

The rest of the week went by pretty fast, Blasie had broken up with Ginny, which in turn made Ginny angrier at Hermione, which resulted in Ginny moving back up to Gryffindor Tower. Now Hermione had her room all 2 herself which was a good and bad thing. Hermione had still not got further notice about Hogsmeade which would be today, and still had, not a clue, who the mystery person was, she was getting pretty upset.

Hermione made her way down to the Great Hall for breakfast before Hogsmeade, she took her usual seat, rite between Ron and Harry.

"So what's the plan for Hogsmeade?" she asked the boys.

"Well, me and Katie and Ron and Hannah were going to all hang out, we figured you would want some alone time with this guy." Harry replied.

"Oh, ok!" Hermione said, a little crestfallen, "But if he doesn't show could I tag along with the four of you?"

"Well of course, but why wouldn't he show?" Harry asked , looking a little concerned.

"Because I haven't heard from him again since he first letter." she replied.

"Well if he doesn't show you can come with us."

"Good" she replied, "Well I have to get ready, see you guys later."

Hermione made her way back to the Head's Room to change, when she entered her room she immediately noticed a large-brown tawny owl sitting on the edge of her bed. She ran to the side of her bed, grabbed the letter and tore it open immediately. She sighed with glee as she recognized the hand-writing as the boy who had written her before, she fell back on her bed and quickly scanned the letter, which told her to meet him at the edge of the forbidden forest at 5 minutes to 12. She looked at her watch and noticed, with a stab of panic, that it was already 11:47 am. She had to hurry!

**Xo Xo**

Hermione was running through the 7th floor corridor when she ran, headfirst, into Pansy Parkinson.

"Going somewhere Mudblood?" she asked, dusting off her robes.

Hermione shoved past her, never glancing back but all the while thinking 'Your wrong there Parkinson'. She shoved open the doors leading out of the entrance hall and sprinted down the sloping grounds towards the forest, as she neared her destination she noticed nobody was present yet and slowed her pace. When she came to a halt beneath a large tree, around th corner from Hagrid's cabin and the lake, she glanced at her watch 12:00 am.

"Perfect timing!" she muttered, sliding down the length of the tree, gasping for breath, "Now where is he?"

"Good to see you Ms. Damenzla" she heard a voice say from behind her. She jumped to her feet and spun around, when her eyes landed on the face of the person who had just said her name she let out a horrifying scream.

"Oh My God!"

(A/N Omg, I am sooo sorry, I have had a very hectic week, freshmen picnic, parties, falling ill, sleepovers, just to name a few things I did. I am soo very sorry it took mne so long to update. I will try to get chapter 13 up on Sunday! Bear with me! XoXo NiCoLe OxOx)


	12. So it begins

Your Joking, Right!

Chapter 13: So it begins!

(A/N: just so you guys know the 1 quotation marks ('') are thoughts, the double quotation marks (" ") are speech!)

Hermione tried to turn and run but by the time it took her to register the fully alive and sneering face of Lucius Malfoy, he had her in a full body bind, anti-apparation jinx, and '_quietus_' charm. She was stuck and she knew it, Lucius Malfoy was standing right in front of her, out of jail, completely healthy, and he also appeared happy for he had the traditional Malfoy smirk plastered on his pale face, his silver- blonde hair was pulled back in a pony tail as to keep it out of his way.

"Well, well, well Ms. Damenzla, I believe, how are you these days?" he sneered.

Hermione wanted to wipe the smirk off his face, just as she had actually done to Draco in third year.

"We shall be off now, the Dark Lord is probably waiting.", he grabbed Hermione's arm and she felt the familiar, lung-crushing sensation, of apparation.

**XoXoXoXoXoXoXo**

When she felt her feet land firmly on the ground Hermione opened her eyes to see her surroundings, which were vaguely familiar. She had never been here but Harry had told her every little detail about it, this was the graveyard in which the Riddle's tomb rests, this was the graveyard in which Lord Voldemort had risen to power once more, in which Cedric Diggory took his last breath. Hermione, who still had the body bind on her, shifted her weight to the right as best she could and let out a silent scream of terror, there were about 10 death-eaters, conversing in low whispers, about four feet to the side of her. One was chancing glances at her.

'What do they want with me?' she thought.

Her question was soon answered, Lucius Malfoy came toward her, removed all of the spells he had placed on her, and led her toward the group of death-eaters, she wondered if Draco was amongst them, she knew for a fact, he had become a death-eater in sixth year. Maybe if Draco was with them he would be on her side, she didn't trust him that much though.

**XoXoXoXoXoXoXo**

Lucius led her to the center of the circle of death-eaters, right where, as she assumed, Voldemort was seated.

"Well if it isn't the little bookworm Ms. Hermione...er... Damenzla I believe" Voldemort sneered "Your parents were really never of any importance but you, you can be very useful you know!"

Hermione stared at him "Yeah right, like I would turn my back on my best friends, on my side!" Hermione laughed in his face, yes in Lord Voldemort's face, but in truth she was terrified, this was the most feared wizard in the ages and here she was, laughing in his face.

"Why we have ourselves a little back-talker here" Voldemort said, causing his minions to laugh, one in particular, Hermione noticed, did not.

'Draco' Hermione thought, that must be him 'Thank goodness'

"Nott, teach her to respect her superiors" Voldemort said.

A death-eater, Nott, stepped out of the circle, "_Crucio_" he yelled, pointing his wand at Hermione. Hermione felt pain beyond her wildest beliefs, scorching hot knives were piercing every piece of flesh on her body, but she tried not to show weakness, and kept her mouth shut even though she wanted, so badly, to scream.

"We have ourselves a strong one here" Voldemort said.

"Yep" Hermione smiled proudly.

Voldemort stood from his chair and approached Hermione who stood in the middle of the circle, arms folded across her chest, glaring at the wizard whom was feared by almost everybody in the wizarding world.

"We will just have to see about that won't we Hermione?" Hermione winced at the sound of her name coming out of his lips, Voldemort laughed, then pointed his wand at the girl. "_Crucio_"

Hermione tried her very best not to scream this time, Voldemort's spell was much more powerful then Nott's spell had been, it was almost 10-times worse and Hermione wanted so badly to yell at the top of her lungs, but she refrained once again not wanting to show any sign of weakness. Voldemort lifted the curse and stared down once more at Hermione,

"Im impressed, none of my death-eaters could stand up to the curse without letting out a scream of agony but you, _Voldemort laughed_, you really are something Hermione, That will be all for today, Lucius, Crabbe, Goyle take our young Ms. Damenzla to her sleeping quarters." Hermione tried to kick out at her captors and managed to hit one of them in the knee-cap but know sooner had she done that then Malfoy put the full-body bind curse on her once more.

**XoXoXoXoXoXoXo**

The three death-eaters took Hermione up to a small house on a large, steep hill a short distance away from where they had been in the graveyard. Malfoy kicked open the door and the three led her up a short rickety staircase and down a long corridor until they reached a door at the very end. They shoved her into the room, put on a few protection spells, then shut and locked the door. Hermione took the opportunity to exam the room they had drug her into, it was rather large and pretty fancy,

'Voldemort must really be playing for my affections.' Hermione thought.

She laid back on the four-poster and tried sorting out all her thoughts which were presently spinning in her head.

"What would Voldemort want with me?" she asked herself, voicing the question aloud to thin air.

She jumped up from the bed and began to pace the spacious bedroom.

"Maybe Harry and Ron will notice I am gone, they would be smart enough to inform Dumbledore wouldn't they, the Order would come for me, im sure Harry would know where to go"

"I highly doubt that!" a voice said.

Hermione turned to the doorway and found none other then Draco Malfoy leaning against the frame, still dressed in his black signature death-eater robes. She was a little relieved he was there, she felt safer with him, he wasn't bad to look at either, Hermione had to admit, she had become quite fond of the youngest Malfoy.

"Draco, you are here then!"

"Of course im here, you knew that" he replied, "You were staring right at me for like 5 minutes."

Hermione turned on him, now a little angry, "Oh cut the crap and tell me what the bloody hell Voldemort wants with me, why me, why not Harry, or Ron?" she yelled, stomping across the room and sitting on her bed, tears flowing down her face.

"Ok, Ok Calm down Hermione, gees!" Draco said, sitting down on the bed next to her and wrapping a comforting arm around her shoulders. "First of all, I have no clue what his plans are, second, I don't really think you want to stick around here and find out, do you?"

Hermione stared at the blonde "Did you know about this? Did you know your father was setting me up? Huh? Did you Draco!" she yelled, angry tears spilling down her cheeks as she stood from the bed once more and crossed the room, her back to Draco, who was sitting on the bed, shocked.

"Of course not, I would never let my father hurt you, never!" he replied, crossing the room and turning the trembling girl towards him "Gosh Hermione, haven't I earned your trust yet? Haven't we decided to become friends?"

"Ok, ok, im sorry I doubted you Draco" Hermione said, wiping tears from here eyes "Im a little tired now, im going to go to bed, see you tomorrow I guess" she crossed the room and laid down on the bed, in truth she was rather angry with the blonde at the moment.

"Ok, Goodnight Hermione" he replied, heading for the door.

"Yeah sure.."

**XoXoXoXoXoXoXo**

Hermione was awoken by a pounding on the door and a loud voice yelling for her to get her lazy arse out of bed and that the Dark Lord will get angry. She slowly pulled the covers off of herself and stood up to stretch, she placed her wand on the little table by the side of her bed, then she did a glamour charm on herself and then proceeded to open the door, almost getting hit on the head by Lucius who had been just about to bang on her door again.

"Its about time, the Dark Lord had been waiting and he does not like to wait." he grabbed her by the collar of her robes and drug her to, what appeared to be, a family room.

"Oh sleeping beauty has finally awoken" Voldemort sneered, nobody laughed this time, probably because they hadn't a clue who sleeping beauty was.

"Im up aren't I?" she replied, if she had learned anything from Harry it was to never show fear, especially not to Lord Voldemort.

"A lot like your best friend, Harry Potter, aren't you?" he asked,

'What is he a mind reader?' Hermione thought 'I wasn't making eye contact' so she replied "He is my best friend, and a great wizard."

Draco, who was standing in the circle of death-eaters, felt a singe of jealousy at her words about Saint Potter.

"On with the plan, you, my clever friend are going to join the ranks of the death-eaters and help my followers, to keep me safe." Voldemort said, rising from his chair and approaching the girl.

'So that's his plan!" Hermione thought, "No, I don't think so, I mean, what's in it for me?" she replied, crossing her arms and glaring at him, she immediately regretted this, Voldemort's skin grew even paler, if possible, his cat-like red eyes narrowed, and his mouth curved into a sneer.

"Your going to regret that, _Avada Kedavra_" Voldemort cried.

Hermione, thankfully, dodged this spell and made a dash for the stairs, dodging the spells sent by death-eaters. She took the stairs two at a time, ran full speed down the long hall, and slammed into her room. She dashed to the side of her bed, grabbed her wand, opened a window then ran into the large closet, left the door open so she didn't look suspicious, then cast an invisibility spell on herself. She had waited about 5 minutes before voices rang into the room,

"Where did the little brat go?" she recognized this voice as Lucius Malfoy once again,'What do they think I prefer him to come get me every time?' she thought to herself.

"Maybe she went through the window?" she recognized the second voice as Peter Pettigrew.

"I presume so!" Lucius said, Hermione then heard them shut the window and leave the room.

Hermione sank down to the floor "Thank God" she muttered quietly, just in case.

"Your not safe yet, you know." came the voice of Draco, who had just stepped into the closet. He proceeded to shut and lock the door, mutter a '_quietus_' spell, cast _lumos_, then remove Hermione's invisibility spell.

"How did you know I was here?" she asked.

"Oh easy, I know how clever you are Hermione, the window thing, I can't believe my father fell for that, plus I heard you talking to yourself, but like I aid before, your not safe yet, Voldemort will see right through your little plot."

"Yeah your right, guess im finished, tell Harry, Ron, Ginny, Blaise, and my sister I said goodbye" Hermione joked, but she was the only one in the closet laughing, Hermione glance over at the blonde boy who was sitting on a box with an appalled and worried expression on his face, 'Wait worried?' Hermione thought.

"Oh my gosh Draco are you worried about me? Im a big girl you know." Hermione said.

"My gosh Hermione are you that dense?" Draco got to his feet and walked a few inches until he stood over Hermione, who was peering up at him, "haven't you figured it out yet, I like you Hermione, I really, really like you, I've liked you since the past summer, not just because of all the changes you have gone through because I got to know the real you, not just that act you put on at school, and I don't want to see anything happen to you." Draco finished.

Hermione sat in shock on the floor, Draco Malfoy likes me.

'You like him too'

'Do I?'

'Of course you do'

'Then tell him'

She jumped to her feet and hugged the tall blonde who still had a mortified look on his face 'I can't believe I did that' he thought.

"Oh Draco, that is such a relief, I like you too"

"Really?" he held her at arms length so he could look into her honey-colored eyes.

"Yes, Draco, I do." Hermione smiled and Draco wrapped her in another hug, a grin on his face.

"What a relief, I thought I had just made a total fool of myself."

Hermione looked into his eyes and pulled his head down to meet hers, she rested her forehead on his and stared into his silver- blue eyes.

"I really do like you Draco", then she did something nobody ever would have expected her to do, not even herself. She kissed him.

(A/N, Yay! I hope you guys are all happy, I have started on Chapter 14, I was arguing with myself on whether to add the first 2 pages onto here, because at first I didn't plan on it but then I said maybe I will just add it on, now I decided not to because I thought this was the absolutely perfect-est (lol) ending. I will try to get chapter 14 up by Wednesday! XoXo NiCoLe OxOx)


	13. The Escape!

Your Joking, Right?

Chapter 14: The Escape!

(A/N: Hi again, I am soo incredibly sorry that it took me so long to update! I started school on Monday and im a Freshmen, sooo..., I have been very busy! Anywayz, I am going to try to update as much as I can now that school is back in session, more then likely it will be on weekends but I try to write my chapters when I have free time in study hall (lol). So bear with me! On to chapter 14..)

**XoXoXoXoXo**

Hermione and Draco's snogging session was cut short by Draco pulling away and looking into Hermione's chocolate Brown eyes,

"Are you positively sure about this Herm?" he asked her.

"Of course" she replied, leaning in to kiss him once more, but Draco withdrew once again, "Are you?" she asked, folding her arms and staring at the blonde.

"Yes, I am" he replied. "But right now my top priority is getting you out of here and back to Hogwart's, safe."

"Oh can't we worry about that later!" Hermione whined.

"No we most certainly cannot" Draco replied, astonished, "Now I have a plan, listen carefully."

Hermione rolled her eyes, "Don't I always?"

"True, ok now I am going to head back down to the drawer room where I am almost positive Voldemort is waiting for my report, I will go back down and tell him there was know sign of you and that you must have went out of the window and apparated back to Hogwart's, I will also say something along the lines of 'She may have told Dumbledore by now', and that will scare him, more then likely everyone will apparate back to wherever they came from, I will try and stay behind for you. Then we can apparate back and you can alert the Headmaster." He finished telling his plan to Hermione.

"Oh your brilliant!" Hermione screeched, wrapping Draco in a hug "You should have been Headboy!"

"I should have shouldn't I?" he replied, Malfoy smirk in place.

"Oh shut it" she replied, playfully slapping him, "Now you should be going!"

"Ok, Ok" he gave her a swift kiss then headed for the door "See you soon"

**XoXoXoXoXo**

Draco took the stairs two at a time one though crossing his mind the entire time 'Im dating the resident bookworm of Hogwarts, who I despised for 7 years, how ironic." he laughed to himself then quickly shut up as he entered the drawing room.

"Young Master Malfoy, any sign of the girl?" Voldemort asked, as soon as Draco entered the room.

"No Master, I think she has fled out of the window, she has probably returned to Hogwart's at once, and if I know anything about that muggle-lover she has gone to inform the muggle-lover king himself by now" Draco sneered 'Hope he buys it' he thought.

"Very well, thank you, I do believe she has informed Dumbledore, so we will be off, I must ask you to return to Hogwarts, and report back, to your father, immediately, if she has returned."

"Yes, Master" Draco replied, then almost instantly Voldemort and his death eaters apparated, Wormtail being the last because he was to stupid and slow. "Loser" Draco muttered. He began to walk up the hill to Tom Riddle's gravestone where he had told Hermione to meet him.

**XoXoXoXoXo**

Meanwhile, Hermione had been looking out of the window, with similar thoughts as Draco's going through her head

'Im dating Draco Malfoy' she thought, 'The slimy little ferret that I hated first through part of seventh year, how ... twisted." She laughed. "Things sure can change" she said aloud. She glanced at her watch, 9:47, it would be past curfew at Hogwart's when she got there,

'Great, Filch better let me off or I just may hex him' she shook her head 'I could never attack a teacher, I would get suspended!' she shuddered at the thought. She slid off the stool she had been sitting on and walked to the door, she pushed it open a crack and listened carefully, she heard no voices so she quickly proceeded to the window to close it, as she reached I she saw a figure strolling across the grounds

'Must be Draco' she thought. She quickly shut the window and dashed across the room, to the door, as quietly as possible. She proceeded down the stairs quietly, then peered into the rooms, checking for any sign of Voldemort or his followers,

'This house is so creepy!', she shoved open the door and ran out into the cool night air, glad to be out of the haunted house on God knows where hill.

Hermione strolled across the grounds quickly but also slowly enough to enjoy the stars that were shining so brightly in the sky, it was a gorgeous night. She picked up her pace as the gravestone and Draco came into view

"Made it okay?" Draco asked as he rested on the stone.

"Yep, fine" she replied, she grabbed his hand and laced it with hers, ready to apparate, "Now can we head back?" she turned her gaze on him, giving him the puppy dog eyes.

"Of course, Milady" Draco replied, bowing at Hermione, which caused her to giggle, then sweeping her into a hug and kissing her briefly and playfully. He then pulled apart and looked into her eyes, Hermione nodded, "Hogwarts" they both said, Hermione felt her feet leave the ground once more.

**XoXoXoXoXo**

Draco's feet hit firm ground, he took a step to the right to look at Hermione whop was still standing next to him, holding his hand, smiling. Draco turned to see what she was smiling at and he couldn't help but let pout a small chuckle, Hogwart's Castle, how typical of Hermione. Draco squeezed her hand to remind her that he was there, she turned to him and smiled.

"Ready to head back to reality?" he asked.

"Most definitely!" she squealed, she then took off up the pathway, leaving a bewildered Draco in her mist.

Draco watched the brown haired girl run past him and up the pathway but he quickly caught up, she wasn't the worlds fastest runner.

"Cheater!" he said jokingly.

"Oh whatever, you knew you would catch up" she replied, stopping and bending over to catch her breath.

"Yeah I did"

Draco began to walk up the path, Hermione at his side, they reached the oak doors and Draco shoved them open, the eerie glow of the torches cast light over the stone floor, illuminating Draco's platinum hair as he slipped into the castle, closely followed by Hermione. They set off for the marble staircase, Hermione praying that Filch was nowhere around. As they hit the second floor staircase, Mrs. Norris came around the corner, Hermione clapped her hands over her mouth and Draco swore under his breath. The cat let out a shallow meow then turned around and headed back down the corridor, intent on finding her master.

"Run" Draco mouthed to Hermione, and they did, they ran all the way back to the Head's Room. Draco said the password and they filed into the common room, Hermione took a seat near the fire and Draco sprawled out on the couch, both were breathing rather heavily.

"Good to be home" Draco muttered.

"It kinda is" Hermione smiled into the fireplace.

**XoXoXoXoXoXo**

Hermione had been sitting on the couch, thinking quietly when she jumped out of her seat which scared the heck out the Draco

"What the bloody hell has gotten into you, the couch burn your arse or something?" he smirked at his last comment.

Hermione walked across the room and wacked her boyfriend, lightly, but firmly across the head.

"Oww what was THAT for?" he yelped, holding the back of his head.

"You know exactly why!" Hermione snapped.

Draco sulked in the corner of the common room for about 20 minutes, holding the back of his head and mumbling stuff like, 'Bloody PMS', and 'You know why!' in a very un-Hermione like tone. Hermione tried to last but she finally hit breaking point,

"Shut Up, you big cry-baby" she hissed, then stomped her way to the portrait hole and was in the middle of exiting when she heard a male voice

"Where are you going?" Draco asked in a tired tone.

"To see Dumbledore"

"What! What for?" he asked, a worried expression on his face.

"I need to let him know what happened!" she insisted.

"No, you do not! I cannot tell Dumbledore about my er.. Position."

"I don't have to tell him about you, I'll tell him I escaped on my own."

"Oh yeah, like he'll believe you came up with that plan!" Draco, rolled his eyes.

"I AM the smartest witch in the year!" she threw up her arms in annoyance, "Draco, I promise I won't tell Dumbledore about you, whatever I do!"

Draco had been doing some thinking, "Fine Fine, but I am coming with you, its about time I tell the Headmaster the truth." he pushed off the wall he had been leaning on and strolled over to meet Hermione who was waiting very un-patiently by the portrait hole.

"Hurry it up Malfoy"

**XoXoXoXoXoXoXo**

Hermione and Draco reached the Headmasters office quickly, Hermione said the password to the gargoyle and then climbed onto the revolving staircase that led to the headmasters office. When they got to the top Draco reached for the door-knocker, which was a little pout of reach for Hermione which only seemed to irritate her more,

"I don't need a bloody guy to help me!" she mumbled.

Draco knocked 3 times, then the Headmasters voice rang through the door,

"Come on in, Mr. Malfoy, Ms. Granger"

The two stepped through the door, and entered the headmaster's office,

"Hello Professor" Hermione greeted her headmaster.

"Hello to you to Ms. Granger" he replied, then bowed his head at Draco. "What brings the pair of you here today?"

"Well Headmaster, I don't know if the teachers have informed you of my absentness these last few day,

"They have" Dumbledore cut in

"Well that is because, I was taken by Lord Voldemort, it started when I was getting ready to go to Hogsmeade..." she proceeded to tell him the story.

"Ahh, I see, and you are positive that it is the same graveyard that Harry was taken to in his fourth year?"

"Yes, I am"

"Very well, I shall inform the Order, 'Fawkes', his bird landed on his shoulder, 'Take this to Lupin', he tied a scroll onto the pheonix and sent him away, very well, all done., Now, Mr. Malfoy, may I ask why you are here?"

"Oh well, um" Draco stuttered.

Hermione cut in, "he needs to talk to you, I will be going now, Goodnight Professor, see you in the common room Draco."

Hermione left the room, smiling to herself, Draco would be a member of the Order in know time!

"In the mean time, I have some business to take care of!"

**XoXoXoXoXoXo**

Hermione ran the rest of the way to the Head's Room, she said the password and grinned when she found the person she wanted to find laying, sprawled out, on the couch.

"Blaise" she ran over and pounced on her cousin " Oh how are you?"

"Wow, Mione', Im your cousin not your boyfriend." Blaise replied sarcastically sliding the girl off of him and onto the couch, "Anyways, where the bloody hell have you been? Ginny's gone mental, as well as Pot..."

"Oh so you made up with Ginny?" Hermione asked, gleefully.

"Well no bu..."

"See that's what I wanted to talk to you about" Hermione declared, jumping up from the couch and standing in front of Blaise, hands on hips.

"Wow, nice view."

"You perv.!" Hermione screeched, slapping him, "You're my cousin"

"Ow Ow God I was kidding, now what about Ginny?" Blaise asked, rubbing his arm where Hermione had slapped him,** hard.**

"Well what you overheard, you got it all wrong, she was not flirting with Dean, they were hanging out, we were all hanging out, I didn't mean to say they were flirting, and I definitely didn't mean for you to overhear us"

Hermione sighed and fell back onto the couch.

"She really loves you Blaise, she wanted to murder me when I caused you to break up with her."

"So so she wasn't flirting with Thomas?"

"Of Course not"

Blaise couldn't hide the grin on his face, "I'll be right back"

"Where ya going?" Hermione asked, even though she knew where he was headed.

"To get a girlfriend and a best friend back"

The portrait hole closed as Blaise exited it, "Thank God" Hermione said, dragging her feet out after him, intent on going to the Great Hall,' "Im starving"

**XoXoXoXoXoXo**

Meanwhile, a certain Draco Malfoy had been listening to a certain, crack pot old fool for about an hour.

'My god does this guy ever shut up, Order this, Order that, just go marry the order.' Draco muttered.

"So what do you say Mr. Malfoy would you like to become a member of the Order of the pheonix, a member of the light side, a spy against Voldemort."

Draco had been highly considering joining the Order, he would get to be against his father, and on the same time as Hermione, that also meant going against Voldemort, with Potty and everybody else he despised.

"I will have to think about it sir." he responded.

"Very well, Mr Malfoy, but I must ask you not to say anything to anybody untrustworthy, I will be watching you."

Draco gulped, "How are you going to do that?"

"Oh I have my ways" Dumbledore's eyes twinkled.

"No problem, you can trust me."

"When you have come to a decision, please let me know, immediately"

"I will sir!"

"Very well, you may go."

"Thank you sir."

Draco headed back to his dorm, intent on finding his girlfriend, thoughts swirling in his head.

**XoXoXoXoXoXo**

Hermione had made it to the Great Hall and was right outside the doors, reluctant to go inside. 'Everyone will want to know where I have been' She took in a deep breath and pushed the doors open, 'here goes'. Before she had even stepped foot inside her vision was blurred by a mound of red hair, a little black to. She felt herself being picked up off the ground and spun around.

"My god, Ronald, Harold, put me down this instant."

"Mione do not ever call me that again!" Harry said, joking, but seriously.

"Fine, Fine" she said grinning, "It was pretty funny though"

"We heard about what happened , Im so glad your okay", Ron said, Harry elbowed him, "We are glad your fine"

"Thanks guys" she made her way to the Gryffindor table, "Lets sit, I'll explain I promise."

Both Guys grinned, "Can't wait to hear."

**XoXoXoXoXoXo**

Hermione told them the entire story, excluding the Draco part. Both guys were very interested.

"Isn't that graveyard eerie?" Harry asked.

"It is a graveyard mate" Ron said.

Hermione laughed, "Yeah it is" Hermione heard a small Umbridge-like cough over her shoulder, she spun around to find a certain Ginerva Weasley standing over her,

"Oh my god Hermione, I am so very sorry, Can you forgive me?"

Hermione stared up at her best friend, she was thinking hard.

(I am soooo sorry it took so long to update, I hope you guys don't hate me! I still love you!)


	14. Opposites

(A/N Hi again, your reviews are soo funny, I try my best to update I really do! Anyways on with the chapter! My computer has been down 4 a few weeks, so here is chapter 15 n 16 is already written so it should b up within a day or 2, too make up for your long wait)

"**Your Joking... Right?"**

**Chapter 15: Opposites attract**

Ginny stood looking at her former best friend, embarrassed and a little nervous, all Hermione was doing was staring at her and boy did she feel stupid.

'Wow, she hates me!' Ginny thought.

Hermione didn't really know what to say, Ginny just jumped to conclusions so easily that it thoroughly annoyed her, yet again she had always been her best friend, she could tell Ginny anything.

"Of course Gin!" Hermione said, jumping to her feet and hugging the red-head, who looked relieved, "just don't be stupid next time"

The two girls broke apart and Ginny turned to her best friend,

"Oh I won't and im really sorry" she said, beaming.

Both took a seat, Ginny next to Blaise and Hermione across from them.

"Where's Draco?" Blaise asked.

"No Idea, he was talking to Dumbledore" Hermione replied.

"About what?" Blaise threw her a perplexed glance.

"Oh you know, the Voldemort thing."

Hermione had told Blaise about Voldemort and assuming he had told Ginny, they both knew what happened.

"Oh" Ginny said.

'Told you' Hermione thought.

Ginny snuggled her head into Blaise's shoulder, "So any plans for tonight?"

"Well I have some homework to catch up on and I must study..." Hermione was cut off.

"Oh please Hermione, we have got to celebrate your safe return."

Hermione smiled, "What do you have in mind?"

**XoXoXoXoXo**

The trio made their way to the Head's Room after dinner, they said the password and entered the empty common room.

"Wonder where Draco is?" Hermione asked.

"Still talking to Dumbledore?" Ginny put-in.

"For this long?"

"Maybe"

Hermione took a seat on an arm chair facing the fire, Blaise and Ginny took the couch.

"I really don't think he would have this much to talk about" Hermione said, staring into the flames.

At that moment Draco walked into the room, looking a little, worn, he grinned when he saw his 3 friends sitting around the fire.

"Hey guys, waiting for me?" he asked cheekily.

"Of course" Blaise smirked. "Where have you been man, got your girl here all worried" Blaise said, gesturing to Hermione who's cheeks were a solid red.

"I was not worried"

"Oh puh-lease" Blaise rolled his eyes in a girly-manner, he then said in a high-voice, very un-Hermione like 'Where's Draco, Oh my gosh where is my poor Drakie-Poo?"

Ginny rolled off the couch laughing, "You sound like Pansy, not Hermione" she said in-between giggles.

Draco was sniggering, still standing by the portrait hole, "Pansy is much worse" he muttered.

"Yes, besides, I said nothing along those lines, I was just curious as to where he was" Hermione replied, cheeks still a faint pink.

"Sure" Blaise said.

Hermione stood up, "Im hungry, I didn't eat anything in the Great Hall" she made her way up the girl's staircase and into her dormitory, she peeked her head back out the door a few seconds later.,

"Oh and Gin, I suggest you start moving your things back before curfew."

Ginny beamed and dragged Blaise off to help her pack.

"Sure thing, Hermione"

This left Draco alone in the common room, he strolled across the room and up the guy's staircase, intent on meeting someone for dinner.

**XoXoXoXoXo**

Hermione quickly changed into her pajamas and then headed into the kitchen for dinner, as the portrait hole opened she noticed a familiar blonde head of hair, his back facing her. She quietly but quickly snuck up behind, as she was about to cover her hands over his eyes he snatched her wrist, Hermione let out a squeal of shock.

"Gotcha, think im that stupid?" he smirked, raising an eyebrow.

"Of course not" she laughed, taking a seat "You ruined my fun though" she pouted.

"Well sorry, here's something that will take your mind off of that" he leaned across the table and kissed her, softly but sweetly. Hermione kissed back, then pulled away

"That sure does the trick" she laughed, "now if you will excuse me, I do not need to be caught making out with my enemy, my reputation would be ruined." she joked, but Draco missed the sarcasm.

"Well sorry" he rolled his eyes, glared at her, then dramatically made his way across the room, slamming the portrait and all.

Hermione raced across the room and banged on the portrait, much to the 2 boys dismay in the portrait who were both glaring at her and rubbing their faces

"Gee, problem missy?" asked the younger boy in the portrait

"Not concerning you, Huck" she replied, for she had read "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" before and knew the story. "Come on Draco, I was joking, you know the act of saying something but not meaning it, or..."

The portrait opened "Okay, walking dictionary, I get it, you didn't mean what you said." Draco smirked. 'She thinks I took her seriously' he mentally laughed.

"You take things to damn seriously" she clasped a hand over her mouth "Oh my gosh I cannot believe I said that, Dumbledore will give me detention if he has this room bugged, Draco! What if he takes my badge?" she asked, panicking.

"My gosh 'Mione, you didn't say anything wrong." he laughed, "One little word, no big deal, now what the bloody hell is 'bugged'?" he asked curiously, causing Hermione to laugh.

"Never mind, you are so illiterate!"

"Illiterate?" Draco asked, raising his eyebrow even higher.

"Stupid" she laughed.

"Am not" he said, lunging across the room and tackling her to the ground.

"Draco!"

He tickled her until she almost died of laughter.

"That was NOT funny" she giggled.

"Then why are you laughing?"

Suddenly both portraits opened to let in a happy-looking Ginny and sullen Blaise, both pairs of eyebrows shot up as they found Draco and Hermione in a 'ahem' compromising position.

"What, may I ask, is going on here?" asked Ginny, arms crossed now standing next to her boyfriend."

"Err.." was Draco's response.

"Nothing" Hermione said, shoving Draco off and jumping to her feet, "Ferret here knocked me over as he came running into the kitchen looking for Blaise. She glared at Draco, who caught on and glared right back.

"Ugh now I have to clean my new robes"

"Uh huh, sure..." Ginny said, rolling her eyes and crossing to take a seat at the table.

"Now, who's hungry?" Blaise asked, shooting Draco a look and sitting next to Ginny.

"Me, im starved" Hermione said, sitting on Ginny's other side.

**XoXoXoXoXoXo**

Hermione made her way to Gryffindor Common with Ginny, who was lagging behind a fast walking Hermione

"Bloody Hell Mione is this a race?" Ginny said, slightly disheveled.

"I have got to see Harry and Ron" Hermione replied.

"I know!"

Hermione reached the fat lady's portrait a minute later,

"Oh good to see you dearest, how are things as..."

Hermione cut her off "Yeah, Yeah, 'Brave heart'" she stated the password.

"Very Well"

Hermione made a mad dash into the common room, Ginny following moments later, she took a look around the room and immediately spotted her best mates sitting by the common room fire, heads together.

"Probably copying homework" she thought to herself. She quietly tip-toed over to the couches and was just about to jump on the two when Ginny suddenly shouted in a loud voice

"Hi Harry, Ron"

Both boys turned to find the source of the noise when a disgruntled Hermione popped out from behind the couch shouting "Ginny why did you do that?"

"Hermione" Harry said, jumping out of the couch and catching one of his best mates in a hug, "Where have you been?"

"Yeah Mione, long time no see" Ron said, blushing so deeply, his cheeks matched his hair, which was saying something.

Hermione laughed and wrapped Ron in a hug next

"Oh great to see you to!" she beamed at the pair.

Ginny walked up and also gave the boys a hug, a little reluctant with Harry, Hermione noted and then flopped down on the soft, velvet couch

"So what are you boys up to?"

"Nothing much, wizard's chess" Harry grinned "Want a round Hermione, we know you love the game"

"I hate that game and you know it" she grinned.

"I'll play" Ginny piped up.

So the game ended up Ron verses Ginny. The 4 were soon joined by Dakota and Max, Max next played the winner, Ginny, who beat him by an easy 10 points.

"You cheat" he accused

"I do not, I, unlike you, know how to play" Ginny fired back, Max went into a tantrum next about how he did so know how to play the game, causing the others to ignore him and recover there seats on the couch.

"So Dakota, how are your classes going?" Hermione asked her sister, who sat on the couch next to her.

"Alright I suppose, but Snape is dreadfully horrible, the slimeball" she said in a distasteful manner. The four laughed at her choice of words.

"She really is your sister Mione'" Ron stated.

"Yup she is"

Dakota told them all about her classes so far, she mentioned Max quite a lot, Hermione noted.

"What is it with you and Max?" she asked her sister.

"Nothing, he's my best friend, im only 12 gosh Hermione you should know that" Dakota said sarcastically.

"How could I forget" Hermione grinned.

"Anyways off to bed I need to get my beauty sleep" Dakota sighed, slipping off the couch and up the stairs to the girl's dormitory.

"Maybe she's not so much like you" Ron replied 'Beauty Sleep'?

"She is the good-looking one in the family" Hermione grinned.

Hermione ran up the stairs after her little sister, to say goodnight then came back down a moment later and excused herself and Ginny saying she had to get to sleep and her and Ginny made their way back to their dorm, Ginny still bugging her about her and Draco.

**XoXoXoXoXoXo**

The girl's had went to sleep almost immediately after returning to Head Tower, but now, hours later, Hermione lay wide awake having second thoughts.

'I can't believe I just rushed into things with him, I mean he's my enemy, he couldn't have changed that quickly'

'But he did'

'He can be just acting'

'What would be the purpose?'

'He still dosen't like Ron or Harry!'

'But he likes you and Ginny'

Hermione argued with herself like this for a while until she finally decided she would have to talk to Draco, see how he felt, if he was confused also, she would break it off, easy as that. She turned on her side and dug her head deeper into the pillow.

'But what if I don't want to break it off with him?'

Hermione sat up in bed, this scared her even more, had she fallen in love with the boy already? She fell back on the bed once more, confused now, more then ever.

'You no what they say, opposites attract' was the last thing going through her head before she fell into a deep slumber.

(Okay guys, that was chapter 15, 16 is completed! Yay! I will post it soon! Anyways, hope you liked this one, I figured I would bring back Max and Dakota for old time sake. I know some of you did not like the ending of this one, but things are going to have to be bumpy! Anyways leave me a review!)


	15. Just the Beginning

"Your Joking...Right?"

Chapter 16: Just the beginning

The alarm clock went off, Hermione jumped out of bed, stretched and walked across the room to her curtains which she yanked open to let in the warm sunshine of a Monday Morning and the beautiful view of Hogwart's Lake. She turned on her Magical radio and yanked the covers off of a still-sleeping Ginny, who screamed and ripped them out of her hands

"Its too early"

"Is not" Hermione took her radio and made her way into the bathroom for a shower, this had been her daily routine at Hogwart's since first year, alarm, stretch, curtain, radio, then wake up everyone in her dorm and take a shower. She quickly finished washing up then blow dried and straightened her hair, she applied a little make-up then went out into her room to find that Ginny had finally gotten up and was fully dressed.

"So can I finally use the bathroom?" she joked.

"I guess" Hermione replied, rumbling through her dresser for her uniform

"Gin, have you seen my uniform"

Ginny poked her head back out of the bathroom door and pointed to the chair next to Hermione's bed where her uniform was folded out, "You put it out last night"

"Oh yeah" Hermione quickly changed then sat on her bed, she stared through the door at Ginny who was in the process of combing her hair. 'Ginny's my best friend, I can tell her anything, right?'

"Hey Gin"

"Yeah Hermione?"

"I can tell you anything and you wouldn't tell another soul, right?"

"Of course Hermione, what is it?" Ginny said, coming out of the bathroom, one side of her hair half curled.

"Well um... Draco and I, well it's a long story and errr"

"You and Draco are dating?"

"How'd you know?"

"Draco told Blaise, and Blaise told me"

"Well, now I have to kill Blaise, be right back" Hermione smiled in a fake-sweetly sort of manner and stood from the bed. Ginny grabbed her hand.

"So what's the problem, I can tell some things wrong"

"Well I think we rushed into it. I mean, I hated him all 7 years here, now im suddenly dating him?" she sank back down on the bed.

"He's changed Hermione everyone has noticed it, he doesn't even pick on Harry and Ron anymore, they were just telling me a few days ago, that he seemed actually decent."

"Really?"

"Yeah"

"Well that's good then!"

"Yeah it is" Ginny smiled, "Now if you don't mind I have to finish getting ready, I can't leave like this!"

"Blaise wouldn't mind, he love's you"

"I know, I just don't wanna look like Parkinson"

Hermione laughed.

**XoXoXoXoXoXo**

The girl's made there way down to the Great Hall later that night., they walked to the Gryffindor Table and took a seat next to Harry and Ron.

"Ladies" Harry said.

"Harry, Ron" Ginny smiled, "Anyone up for a walk?"

"Sure" the three replied. They all got up from the table and grabbed something to eat. They left out of the oak doors, followed by 2 pairs of eyes at the Slytherin Table.

**XoXoXoXoXo**

"Wonder where there going?" Blaise asked.

"Dunno" Draco muttered, glaring at the retreating back's of Ron and Harry.

"Lets find out" Blaise said, standing from the table.

Draco also stood, "Excuse us Pansy, Blaise here isn't feeling so well." he said to Pansy who was sitting across from them.

"Want me to come? I've been told I really know how to satisfy a man" she said, winking.

"Err, no" both guys said, quickly exiting the hall and slipping out the front doors.

"What a..."

"Slut" Blaise finished.

"My thoughts exactly" Draco said, smirking.

**XoXoXoXoXoXo**

Harry, Hermione, Ron, and Ginny sat under the big oak tree beside the lake, talking. Hermione gazed out over the lake, her brown hair whipping out behind her, she listened to her three friends talk about Quidditch. Hermione liked to play the game for fun, but knew nothing about it.

"So Hermione, how's Head?" Harry asked.

Hermione turned as her name was addressed, "Oh great I love it" she beamed at Harry, she remembered how, in third and fourth year she had the hugest crush on him, she then turned to look at Ron, now Ron was a different story, she had always liked him first through fifth year she had dated him briefly in sixth year, now her sixth year, as she thought of it now, she had started liking Draco, all the things Harry said about him always drew her attention to him, she couldn't help but wonder what he was actually like, it dawned on her, she liked him back in sixth year, and now, she was dating him. 'Wow' she thought.

Ginny could tell Hermione was lost in her thoughts, she stood up and took a step closer to the lake, she wrapped her pink jacket closer to her body, she slipped off her sandle and dipped her toe into the lake, it was actually quite warm for late November, snow hadn't even began to fall yet. She turned her attention to the setting sun, it was gorgeous.

Hermione watched as Harry and Ron grinned at each other, and quietly tip-toed up to Ginny, Hermione caught on a second to late

"Ginny" she yelled, as Harry shoved her into the water, Harry's triumphant expression quickly changed as Ginny dragged him in after her. Ron stood by the edge of the lake, laughing while Hermione sat, silently giggling. She walked up to Ron and shoved him in also, then ran back towards the tree, laughing even harder.

"How's the water?" she asked her 3 friends, who were glaring at her, but burst out laughing a second later. Ron splashed water at Ginny, which started a water fight, Hermione watched from the shore as the 3 splashed and dunked each other, she smiled and ran in a second later, throwing off her jacket before she hit the water, landing on top of Harry, her target, and dunking him down with her. The 4 played in the water, dunking, splashing, and swimming until Ginny ran out of the water screaming that the giant squid tried dragging her under. The 4 made their way up to Gryffindor Tower, shivering, Hermione had conjured a small blue fire but it didn't help, much.

**XoXoXoXoXo**

Draco and Blaise had watched the whole scene from under a tree, with disgusted looks on there faces.

Draco had caught himself almost drooling when Hermione had been peering out over the lake, she had looked so gorgeous at that point, like right out of a painting. He had also laughed as he watched her shove Weasel into the water then jump in herself moments later, just wanting to have fun, carefree about everything. He couldn't help but notice how crazy he was about her.

Blaise, on the other hand, also enjoyed the scene. He had wanted so desperately to wrap his arms around Ginny's waist as she stood overlooking the scene before her. That, of course, led to him wanting to ring Harry's neck when he pushed her in. Ginny had looked so happy as she played with her friends.

The guys sat outside a short while later when their girlfriends had went inside, then walked back up to the catsle and to the Head's Dorm, to wait for a few people.

**XoXoXoXoXoXo**

Hermione sat on the couch in Gryffindor Tower laughing hysterically as Harry did an impression of Professor Lockhart running from the pixies back in their second year. They spent the rest of the night remembering their past years at Hogwarts, Ginny was a little excluded but none the less laughed at the things they had done.

"I cannot believe you guys will be gone next year" Ginny said, "What am I going to do?"

"Oh Gin, you'll be fine" Hermione beamed.

"Just think, whats the school going to be without, Famous Mr.Potter, The Know-It-All, and The Weasel King?" Harry laughed.

"Yeah, were going to be missed." Hermione said.

"Hey Ron, how did that old song, back from fifth year go?" Ginny asked.

Ron's ears turned red. "Oh Gods, not that song Gin"

"Weasley is our king..." Harry started until Ron clasped a hand over his mouth.

"Now Harry, I seem to recall a certain someone falling off his broom because of a few dementors."

"Hey they were evil" Harry said darkly, but jokingly.

**OxOxOxOxOxOx**

Hermione and Ginny entered the Head Dormitory to find Draco and Blaise playing a game of Gobstones.

"Hey Guys" Ginny said, sitting in Blaise's lap on the chair. Blaise leaned down and kissed her, Ginny kissed back.

"Get a room" Hermione said, jokingly.

"Ok" Blaise said, picking Ginny up and carrying her off to the guy's dormitory.

"I didn't mean literally" she muttered as the portrait hole to the guy's room shut.

"Guess they thought you did" Draco said, smirking, he leaned in to kiss his girlfriend, Hermione held up a hand to stop him

"Draco, we need to talk"

A nervous expression came over his face 'What did I do already?' he thought.

"Uh.. Ok" he stuttered.

'Aww he's scared im going to break up with him'

'Well you are, aren't you'

'Gods no'

"Its just, Draco, I think we rushed into things, don't you?"

"No, I mean, you like me, right?"

"Yes"

"So, what's the problem?"

"I mean, we hated each other, and now were suddenly all caught up in each other. It's just... weird"

"I never hated you Hermione"

"Sure you did, first through sixth year"

"No, I didn't, I was jealous of you, I know that now. I mean you were just some Muggle Girl who came into the wizarding world, anxious to know all about it, and you proved to everyone you were just as good, it annoyed me"

"Ohh" was all Hermione could say.

"I felt like such a loser, plus you don't live with my father." he muttered.

"Oh Draco" Hermione smiled, "Your not a loser, you're the best, that's why I like you" she kissed him.

"You know what Hermione, I like you to" Draco said, kissing her back. Hermione laid back on the couch and pulled Draco to her by his tie, she kissed him passionately, but pulled away for some air a moment later

"You know what Mr. Malfoy, I like you a lot" she giggled. "Now, lets go see what Blaise and Ginny are up to."

She walked up the guys dormitory stairs, followed by a slightly sullen Draco, who was fixing his hair.

**XoXoXoXoXo**

Blaise and Ginny were making out on Blaise's bed when Draco and Hermione burst into the room, Draco jumped down onto Blaise's bed, breaking the couple apart.

"Draco, man, you always know how to ruin a moment" Blaise said, shoving his best mate off his bed.

Hermione laughed and fell back on Draco's bed, Draco climbed up on top of her a second later and was shoved back onto the ground a second later. She took a look around the room, it was a dark blue color on Blaise's side, and a dark green on Dracos', it was nothing special compared to her own room, but it had a roomy atmosphere to it. The guys had pure silk sheets, and a fuzzy black comforter which Hermione snuggled her head into, she was just about to doze off when Draco's voice rang in her ear's again,

"Is the floor the only thing that loves me today?" he muttered.

"Looks like it mate"

Draco fell back onto his bed next to Hermione

"Whose up for a movie?" he asked.

**XoXoXoXoXo**

The four began to watch a movie before Ginny paused it and said

"We need popcorn, Hermione, would you come help me in the kitchen?"

"Sure Gin"

So the girl's left to go make popcorn which left the guy's to talk.

"So mate, you and Hermione look cosey"

"Me and Hermione, what about you and Ginny?" Draco asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah well, me and Gin have been together since the middle of summer, you and Hermione have been together for what, 2 days?"

"Yeah, so, we don't plan on doing anything" Draco replied casually.

"Woah, man, I wasn't implying that."

"Uh-Huh, Sure you weren't"

"No, I wasn't, but somebody is thinking about it" Blaise said, in a sneaky tone.

"Of course I am, im only human, besides I would never force Hermione to do anything she didn't want to."

"Yeah well, who knows what she wants"

"Dude, come on its Hermione" Draco laughed.

"Guess your right"

**XoXoXoXoXoXo**

The Girl's had returned with the popcorn and the four watched a movie, Ginny had fallen asleep half-way through, Blaise carried her to bed, Hermione gave him the password.

"So, you like my comforter?" Draco asked, looking at Hermione who was still snuggling his blanket.

"I do actually" she grinned.

Draco laid next to her and put his arms behind his head,

"What are you doing Saturday?" he asked.

"Nothing, why?" Hermione smiled, beside herself.

"Its time we have our first official date, how about a wonderful day in Hogsmeade?"

"Oh Draco, I'd love to" she said, sitting up and kissing him.

"It's a date then" he smirked, kissing her back.

(I hope you liked it, its titled 'Just the Beginning' for a reason. It's kind of a pointless chapter, but I thought I would give you guys a fluffy chapter! You know, Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny time! Anyways, next chapter, which I have already started, is going to be Christmas, Yayay! Now Please Press The Pretty Little Review Button!)


	16. Hogsmeade Preperations

Your Joking Right?

Chapter 17: A Historical Hogsmeade Day

The Following afternoon Hermione set off with Harry and Ron to their seventh year Herbology class, Hermione snuggled into her jacket but none-the-less smiled at the cool winter breeze, she was lost in thought. Being Head Girl meant planning the Annual 'Hogwarts Christmas Ball' and she had a lot to do. Blaise was not much help, but Draco and Ginny on the other hand, were. The only problem they had yet to overcome was the theme, whether it should be casual or dress up formal, Draco, of course, wanted a good old-fashioned casual dance, and Hermione wanted an elegant ball, Ginny remained indifferent. The three had argued about this previously as Blaise played with his wand, making Ginny's hair stand on end, they had yet to come to a decision, and Hermione was thoroughly annoyed, she was always on time.

"What's on your mind Mione?" Ron asked, curiously glancing at his friend.

"Oh nothing really, its just the Christmas Ball, its next Sunday and we have yet to decide on a theme, any suggestions?" she asked hopefully.

"Well, what are you shooting for?" Harry asked.

"Casual or Formal"

"Casual definitely" both boys grinned.

"Oh no, just a formal dance, as always" said a voice.

Hermione turned to find Neville Longbottom rushing after them, he caught up to the trio, and slowed down, clutching a stitch in his side, clearly out of breath.

"My thoughts exactly" Hermione smiled.

"Oh come on Hermione, a casual dance would be so much more fun" Harry said.

"Oh but I love the dressy dances, there gorgeous" she gushed.

"I like seeing the girls in their dresses" Ron smirked, which caused Hermione to shoot him an icy glare and stomp the rest of the way to greenhouse 6.

"Yeah, me too" Neville piped up. Ron and Harry sent him 'yeah, sure...' looks, which caused Neville to turn beat red, yell "I do like girls you know" in front of a bunch of Slytherin's, including Malfoy, who sniggered at him, and he too stomped off in Hermione's wake.

"Not to friendly today are they?" Ron asked, looking ahead at the path he had just seen 2 of his friends take off on in an angry manner.

"Not at all" Harry grinned.

**XoXoXoXoXo**

In Herbology Hermione had decided to forgive Ron and there-for partnered with them for that days lesson. It was un-coincidental, Hermione assumed, the Draco and Blaise ended up across from her, she had to surpress quite a few laughs when Blaise had done an impression of Ron getting wacked in the face by a Venomous Tentacula. It had been quite a fun lesson, that afternoon.

Hermione met up with Ginny out under the oak tree for lunch, to further discuss the ball seeing as her 'partner' was quite uncapable of siting still for more then five minutes.

"I brought sandwiches" Hermione grinned as she took a seat next to the red-head who was already seated under the large tree. Ginny grinned,

"I brought apple juice"

Hermione took a bite of her sandwich and stared at Ginny, who she noticed looked a little odd.

"What's up Gin?" Hermione asked, spraying her with bits of sandwich.

"Ugh, say it, not spray it" both girls laughed.

"So anyways," Hermione said, wiping her mouth with a napkin "What's up?"

"Oh nothing really, I got a letter from Mum today, Bill and Fleur had a daughter" Ginny said, smiling.

"That's awesome" Hermione said, excited. "What did they name her?"

"Courtney" Ginny grimaced, "I hate it, bet you anything Phlegm picked it out"

"I think its cute" Hermione replied.

"I guess"

Hermione looked at her watch, it was almost time for classes again.

"Well we better get going" she told Ginny.

Both girls stood and brushed off their robes then said goodbye, Ginny took off in the directions of Hagrid's Hut for Care of Magical Creatures whereas Hermione left for Charms. Not much had been accomplished regarding the Ball.

**XoXoXoXoXo**

It was almost time for bed and yet Hermione was going through her wardrobe, looking for an outfit to wear on the Hogsmeade trip with Draco tomorrow. She knew Mr. Perfect would look, well, perfect, and she wanted to look good to. She had reached the back of the closet when she felt her hands slide over a vaguely familiar piece of material, she grabbed the outfit out by the hanger and examined it. Her eyes ran across the cut and color of her pink Yule Ball outfit from back in fourth year. She smiled at the mere memory of her date, Viktor Krum, whom she still communicated with by owl.

"I should probably write him back" she said, walking over to her desk and grabbing her signature parchment and quill, she also grabbed her color changing ink, Viktor had said he had liked it in one of his earlier letters.

_Dear Viktor,_

_How is everything going? I am so terribly sorry it takes me so long to reply, im soo busy, seventh year of course. I made Head Girl! I don't remember if I told you that yet or not. How are things with you? Im sorry to here that your Quidditch Team lost there match, im not big on organized quidditch, its fun to play though. Anyways, I have got to go, study as usual. Write back when you get the chance._

_Always,_

_Hermione_

Hermione signed off the letter and exited the portrait hole, heading for the owlery. She remembered when Viktor had asked her to the Yule Ball, she had been sitting in the library, ear-plugs in so she could block out the noise of the love-sick girls drooling over Viktor, and she felt a tap on her shoulder and looked up to find Mr. Popularity looking down at her. It was quite funny that out of all the girls at Hogwarts and the ones from Beauxbatons, that he had chosen plain and simple Hermione. He had really surprised her in the end, she had truly liked him a lot.

She reached the Owlery, and pushed open the door.

"Ahh, watch it!" came a voice from the other side.

"Oh im so terribly sor-, Draco!"

"Hermione?" said the blonde who was currently rubbing his red nose.

"What are you doing up here?" she asked, examining the damage she had inflicted on him.

"I was sending a letter, now I think I have to go get my nose examined" he said, cooly, but jokingly.

"Oh come her you big baby" she said a simple spell and healed his nose then sent her letter off with her owl.

"Heading back to the common room?" he asked her.

"I have patrol duty tonight" she replied, back to him, as she watched her owl fly off in the distance.

"Maybe I will patrol tonight" he smiled a sly grin.

"Maybe you should" Hermione said, leaning back onto his chest.

**XoXoXoXoXo**

The next morning Hermione woke up extremely early and extremely excited, today was her Hogsmeade date with Draco. Hermione took a quick shower and wasn't surprised to find Ginny wide awake and rummaging through her closet.

"You know, of all the clothes I own, I have nothing to wear" she sighed.

"Oh move over" Hermione said, shoving Ginny out of the way and continuing the rummaging of her friends closet until she pulled out a black sparkly top and dark jeans. "Add a little silver eyeshadow and lots of eye liner and you'll look amazing" she said, walking over to her closet now.

"You should be a fashion designer Hermione" Ginny grinned as she changed into her outfit, and, as Hermione said, it looked amazing on her.

"Oh honestly Gin, Me, one of those snooty Rita Skeeter like people" she laughed. Hermione changed into a blue corset top and pair of dark blue jeans, adding a silver belt and puffy white coat, it is winter after all, she then applied blue eyeshadow, glitter, and curled and put white glitter in her hair, a little over- done, but hey, this was Draco Malfoy she was going out with.

**XoXoXoXoXo**

The girl's met Blaise and Draco outside of the Great Hall, it was apparent that while they had ben getting ready, the guy's had been eating.

"Are you ladies ready for a fun day in Hogsmeade?" said Blaise, positively ecstatic as he skipped out of the castle

"What did he eat for breakfast?" Hermione asked Draco.

"Oh, you know, the usual, a little sugared-down coffee, a cinnamon roll, anything that contains excessive amounts of sugar." he smirked.

"I totally believe it" she laughed as she watched Ginny chase after Blaise.

"Where to first?" Ginny asked when th other two had caught up with her and her rather energetic boyfriend.

"Definitely not Hon-..." Draco started.

"Honeydukes" Blaise yelled, taking off full speed toward the candy shop.

"Honeydukes it is" Ginny muttered to Hermione, who laughed.

As soon as they entered the shop even Hermione couldn't complain about th warmth and sweet smell of the tiny shop,

"Im gonna go look at these" she pointed to the sugar coated quills.

"Im off to get a few chocolate frogs for Luna, she got sick" Ginny smiled.

**XoXoXoXoXo**

The four split up into two, the girls, and the guys, while the guys went to look at Quidditch supplies, the girls, went dress shopping. Ginny had dragged Hermione into the back pathway and to a little shop on the outer edge of the village called 'Fantasy'.

"Where are we Gin?" Hermione asked, peering at the shop.

"At this new shop, I've only been in here once with Parvati, its amazing the dresses they have here" Ginny smiled and pulled her friend through the door.

Hermione stopped as soon as she got into the store, she couldn't believe her eyes, there were tons of her fellow Hogwarts students here, mostly girls, and as she scanned her eyes around the room, she noticed there were a lot of gorgeous dresses to.

"Wow, Gin, this is... amazing"

"I no..." Ginny said, heading over to the dresses, "I think im going to get a white one this time"

Ginny had found a dress in no time, it was a long white dress with a V-neck and glitter along the top, Hermione had found a dress fairly easily also, with a little help from Parvati Patil, it was a long silver dress with a halter top and sequins lining the top and bottom.

"Wow, Draco is going to love the color" Ginny grinned, as they exited the store.

"I no, that's partly why I got it"

Next they went to an accessory shop, Ginny bought a white handbag with matching gloves, Hermione bout a small tiara and gloves. Then they went to a jewelry shop where they each bought a matching pair of earrings and necklaces to go with their dresses.

"Wow, now im tired" Hermione laughed.

"Let's go get a butterbeer" Ginny smiled.

"Sounds good to me"

**XoXoXoXoX**

The girls enter the Three Broomsticks only to find 2 guys waiting for them in a booth by the window.

"Wow, I must say, you guys are good" Hermione smirked as she scooted in the bench next to Draco.

"Yeah we know" he smirked, putting an arm on Hermione's shoulder.

"Where have you ladies been its been... hours" Blaise said, looking at his watch.

"Shopping, I am a girl" Ginny giggled.

"Are you really?"

"How dare you" she smiled, hitting him on the shoulder.

"Ow, what was that for?"

"Gee I wonder"

"Are you thirsty Draco?" Hermione asked, getting up from her booth.

"No, but I suddenly fancy a walk, meet you two up at the castle later" Draco said, smirking at Blaise and following his girlfriend out of the door.

"Where do you wanna go?" Hermione asked, linking arms with Draco as they headed up the main road of Hogsmeade.

"Anywhere you want" he grinned.

"You got it" she laughed, running up the path of the small village, leaving a bewildered Draco string after her retreating form. "You coming?" she turned and grinned at him.

Draco quickly caught up to Hermione as she stood under the gates back to Hogwarts. "You want to go back already?" he asked.

"Yep" she smiled.

**XoXoXoXo**

Hermione collapsed onto the couch as she reached the Head's Room, soon joined by Draco who landed on the opposite side of the couch.

"What was the point of that Mione, want me to lose a few pounds?" he asked.

Hermione laughed and crawled to the other end of the couch and curled into Draco's arms, "No, I just felt like running"

"Oh, that's fun"

"Yeah, but now im thirsty" she said getting up from the couch regrettably as she had been so warm in Draco's arms, and heading up to the kitchen.

"Aw, I was just getting comfortable to" Draco whined, following Hermione none-the-less.

"Poor Draco" Hermione grinned over her shoulder.

When they reached the kitchen, Hermione got a cup of hot chocolate and some cookies, Draco on the other hand, got a butterbeer and chips.

"Maybe you do need to lose a few pounds" she joked.

"Oh really?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah really"

"Oh well, if thats your opinion on me maybe I won't ask you to the Christmas Dance, wouldn't want to embarrass you" he drawled.

"Oh Draco I'd love to go with you" Hermione smiled and jumped out of her chair to give her boyfriend a kiss.

"But I thought..."

"Oh shut up" she laughed, kissing him again.

**XoXoXoXoXo**

Later that night Hermione was to be found siting on her bed, painting her nails a silver color to go with her dress, waiting for her best friend to return. As she finished her last coat Ginny walked in the door, looking a little tired, but happy.

"Aw, waiting for me, Im honored." she grinned.

"Yes I am waiting for you, where have you been, its way past curfew."

"Oh come on Hermione, I was out with Blaise, we kind of lost track of time"

"What exactly were you doing that you lost track of time?" Hermione asked suspiciously.

"Its kind of silly actually, I had to help im pick out an outfit for the ball."

"So, your going with Blaise?"

"Duh, and your going with Draco?"

"Of course!"

"So what did you want to talk about?" Ginny asked, hanging up her jacket and falling back onto her bed.

"Everyone's reaction" she smiled sheepishly.

"What do you mean?"

"Oh come on Gin, do you honestly think that everyone is gonna smile when I turn up for the ball arm-in-arm with Draco Malfoy" she exclaimed.

An odd look came across Ginny's face as she sat up and looked Hermione in the eye, "Wow Mione, didn't think about that one"

"Yeah, I know!"

"So what are you going to do?"

"Talk to Draco, but, in the morning, now im tired." she yawned, and shut off the light.

"Night Gin"

Well hope you liked it! It was kind of a pointless chapter to get ready for the ball! The Ball is next! Well Review this chapter and thanks for the reviews of previous chapter!


	17. Beginning of the ball

"Your Joking Right?"

Chapter 18: _Happy Christmas, **NOT!**_

Hermione woke up early, she had to pack her trunk before even thinking about getting ready for the evening, she would be leaving for home the morning after the ball. She threw all her things neatly into her trunk then changed and set off for some breakfast in the Great Hall, careful not to wake Ginny. As she exited the portrait hole she was startled to find Harry standing outside of it.

"Morning Mione, thought I would walk you to breakfast" he grinned.

"Sure, and what do I owe this pleasure of being accompanied to breakfast by famous Mr. Potter to?" she giggled.

"What can't I walk an old friend to breakfast?"

"Sure, but what's the real reason?" she asked him.

"Oh, since you asked, Katie dumped me" he frowned and looked to the ground.

"Oh im so sorry Harry, may I ask why?"

"She said I had my hopes set on somebody else?"

"Well,".. She hesitated, "Do you?"

Harry stopped dead in the middle of the entrance hall and turned to face Hermione, who was bewildered but kept her composure. "Hermione, I've known you almost all of my life so im going to be totally honest with you." he paused, Hermione gulped and grinned reassuringly at the petrified guy standing in front of her "Go on Harry"

"Yeah, I do like somebody else, but, she is practically untouchable" he sighed.

"May I ask who?"

"Now hats pushing it Hermione" Harry grinned, with an air that the conversation was over he turned and headed into the Great Hall. Hermione was rooted to the spot, but a moment later nodded her head in understanding and followed Harry's wake into the Great Hall where the smell of bacon and eggs greeted her. She was just about to push open the doors to the hall when an arm circled her waist and tugged her into a nearby broom closet. She heard a silencing charm and a lock click before she felt a familiar pair of lips meet her own, and she inhaled the familiar, spicy scent, of her boyfriend's cologne before she opened her eyes and said

"Good morning to you to Draco" she smiled.

The blonde boy smirked, "Now it's a good morning" he kissed her again, both were momentarily lost in a world that involved just the two of them until Hermione pulled away, remembering what she had said last night, she took a seat on the desk in the empty room,

"Can we talk?"

"Oh, I don't like the sound of that" Draco said, but none-the-less took a seat and gestured with his hand as if to say 'if you must'.

"Well you see, I was thinking.."

"You do that too much" he smirked.

"Maybe you should try it" she grinned."Anyways... I was thinking and well about the ball tonight, im worried about it"

Draco just sat there "Shouldn't you be talking to Blaise about this?"

"Blaise?" Hermione asked, but then it clicked " Oh no, the ball is going to be great, im more worried about ...us" she finished, quietly.

"Us, what about us?"

"Well..er.. Its just, what are we going to do, just show up at the ball together? The school will think were crazy, and my friends!" she jumped, out of the desk and began to pace the room.

"Well yeah, I thought that was the plan" Draco replied, his anger was apparent.

"I don't want everybody mad at me, how about my friends, Gryffindor?" Hermione said, voice raising.

"Hermione, who cares" Draco said, approaching her and cupping her face in his hands.

"I do" she said quietly, looking anywhere but at Draco's piercing silver eyes. "Harry and Ron are like my brothers" she pleaded.

"Oh, of course, Weaselby and Saint Potter" Draco said, storming to a corner of the room, anger etched on every line of his face.

"Draco, please don't make this harder then it is" she pleaded, tears forming in her eyes. "We can't still date, just not go to the ball together."

"Oh, that sounds great" he said, voice dripping with sarcasm "I don't want to hide Hermione"

"Well I don't want to lose my friends just because im dating their mortal.." she trailed off.

"Enemy? You know, why don't you just go to the ball with one of them?" he said, angrily.

"Maybe I will" she fired back.

"Fine, just don't come crying back"

"Oh I won't" she yelled, unlocking the door and stomping her way to the Great Hall, leaving a very angry Draco Malfoy in her wake. As she took a seat next to Harry who asked where she had disappeared to, and Ron, who asked what was wrong., she dismissed them both and grabbed an apple, she bit into it bitterly, her head spinning "What just happened?"

**XoXoXoXoXoXo**

Almost an hour later Hermione sat outside with Harry, Ron, and Ginny. The girls were watching the guys toss a fanged frisbee through the air. It was amusing when one of te boys got hurt, one time the frisbee hit Ron, square in the face, it had gone redder then normal, but they still hadn't learned there lesson, seeing as they were still tossing it through the air, regardless of there scratched up hands.

"Gin, can we head back up, I really need to talk to you" she turned to the red head who had an amused look on her face seeing as how Ron had just got a fresh cut on his hand and was now complaining like a child.

"Sure Hermione" she stood and brushed her robes off "Oy guys, me and Hermione are going to head up"

"Ok see you ladies later" Harry grinned then headed over to Ron "Its only a scratch mate, can't, hurt..." he trailed off as the girls moved further away.

"They keep that up and both are going to have hands like Professor Moody's face" they laughed.

As they trekked up to the Head's Room, Ginny observed Hermione, then spoke. "Hermione is something wrong? You seemed really down today."

Hermione sighed then turned to her friend "Not here Ginny, just wait a minute"

"Sure" Ginny patted her back, she was a little concerned, nothing, had ever brought Hermione down, ever. As they reached the portrait hole, Hermione said the password ('_phlegm_' Ginny's idea)

"Not now Gin" Hermione replied, giving a weak smile, "Let's do something"

Ginny's almond eye's lit up with excitement "Call me crazy, but why don't we get ready for the ball?" she grinned.

"Sound's perfect" Dress Up could take a girl's mind off anything.

XoXoXoXoXoXo

"Oh my GOD!" Ginny squealed as Hermione stepped out of the bathroom, to give a more emphasized effect on her dress, she felt like a model in the muggle world. "You look bloody gorgeous"

"That's something your brother would say" Hermione joked, Ginny threw a fluffy pink pillow at her.

"Now you go get ready so I can flatter you"

"If you say so" Ginny laughed, grabbing her dress off the mirror and running into the bathroom.

Hermione stepped into the large mirror in the corner of her room, she gasped as she saw the girl standing in the mirror, "Is that me?" Ginny had done Hermione's hair in an elegant knot for the ball, and her make-up was done already. Ginny had also treated her to a manicure, Hermione looked down at her french tips. "This is sooo not me" she laughed.

As she continued to admire herself in the mirror, she heard a loud pounding on the common room portrait.

"Can you grab that Mione? Seeing as im not fit to go anywhere" Ginny grinned, poking her half-braided head out of the bathroom door.

"Sure thing Gin" Hermione scampered across the room and exited the portrait hole, as she descended the stairs, she lifted her dress so she didn't rip the bottoms. _Bang, Bang, Bang._

"Im coming" Hermione sighed. She grabbed the handle and pulled open the portrait hole.

"Oh its you!"

Her best friend, Harry Potter, stood in the entrance way, grinning.

"Hiya Hermione." his eyes traveled over the dress "You look ... amazing."

"Thanks" Hermione blushed. "Come on in, you look flushed, did you run the whole way here?" she asked sternly.

Harry grinned sheepishly "It was urgent."

"Well let's get you a drink.

Hermione led him up the stairs and to the girl's portrait hole,

"Gin you decent?" she called.

"Yea" was the muffled response.

Hermione entered the bedroom, closely pursued by Harry, Ginny was perched on her bed, fully dressed and looking elegant. She beamed at the two, sitting cross-legged in a fancy manner "Do you like?"

"Gin, you look gorgeous!" Hermione squealed.

Harry took a few minutes to take in the appearance of his ex. Before nodding to Hermione and grinning, "What she said"

Ginny smiled at the two, "Thanks guys"

"Now how about that drink?" Hermione turned to Harry.

She led him into their enormous kitchen

"You really have it made Hermione, A kitchen?" his eyes lit up at the possibility of food.

Hermione rolled her eyes and playfully slapped him "Sit down"

She summoned two butterbeers and a few snacks. Harry immediately grabbed the butterbeer and drank some. Hermione laughed at this,

"What brings you all the way across the castle?" she laughed.

"Oh yeah!" Harry began talking, mouth-full. Hermione gave him an appalled look. Harry swallowed and continued, "I have an offer from a housemate of mine actually"

"Oh and..?"

"Er... Seamus told me, to come here, to tell you, that, he would have done it himself but..."

"Oh Harry, just get on with it" she laughed.

"Ok, Seamus wants to know if you will go you the ball with him tonight"

Hermione sat there, stunned for a moment. _'Seamus wants to go with.. Me?'_ She thought. She pondered this for a moment, Seamus had always been nice to her, treated her well and all.

"Ok Harry, you tell Seamus that if he really wants to go with me, he should get his arse here and ask me himself." she smirked.

"Oh, Ok" Harry grinned, I'll tell him those exact words."

Then they both went back downstairs, Harry headed for the portrait hole, Hermione took a seat o the couch.

As he exited she called to him "In no less then 5 minutes."

She heard Harry laughing as the portrait hole closed.

**XoXoXoXoXoXoXo**

Hermione sat on the couch about 3 minutes later, Seamus hadn't shown yet, to tell the truth she didn't know if he would show at all, he would probably chicken out. She stared intently at the fire, it was odd that Seamus would suddenly ask her to the ball, he never seemed the least bit interested in her to tell the truth. She heard a noise behind her, she turned to face the portrait hole, and in came the one person she was hoping to avoid for the rest of her career at Hogwart's, Draco.

Draco stood still for a moment to take in Hermione's appearance, even he had to admit it, she looked bloody gorgeous. But he would never say it to her face, instead he said,

"Oh, its you"

"Oh, its you" Hermione fired up, mocking him and rolling her eyes.

Draco scowled at her and stomped up the stairs to the boy's portrait, as his foot touched the last step there was a knock on the portrait hole and he stopped. Hermione squealed slightly and ran for the portrait hole. She opened it and her face lit up,

"Seamus" she grinned, "What would bring you all the way across the castle?" she asked playfully, she knew Draco had stopped to find out who it is.

"Oh you bloody well know why im here" he said, nervously.

"Do I?"

"Yeah, you do" Seamus grinned. "Now, I know Harry already asked you, for me but im here to do it myself, at your request, Would you like to go to the ball with me?" he asked, stuttering.

Hermione smiled at his nervousness, "Of course Seamus"

"Really?"

"Yes"

"Ok, thanks Hermione" he grinned, hugged her slightly, then stepped back,

"Best be off, loads to do" And he turned and sprinted down the corridor, just as the portrait hole was about to slam she heard,

"You look bloody gorgeous by the way"

Hermione laughed and stepped back into the common room, blushing slightly.

_BANG_

The boy's portrait hole slammed shut. Hermione grinned,

Victorious, Draco was jealous.

**XoXoXoXo**

"Why in the world are you doing this?"

"Because! I don't want to be recognized" Draco hissed, he was sitting in a chair, looking up a spell.

"Draco, nobody is going to recognize you by your hair" Blaise replied. "It's a stupid masquerade ball, who cares"

"I do!" Draco snarled, "Found it" he ran to the mirror, said an incantation then changed his hair color to black. "How's it look?"

"Like Potter" Blaise joked

Draco launched across the room and pointed his wand at Blaise's throat, his brown eyes changed from fear to anger to bewilderment back to anger,

"What's got your knickers in a bunch?" Blaise snarled slapping the wand away from his face, "Is it the fact that my cousin is attending the ball with Finnigan and not you?"

"No" Draco muttered quickly, turning back to look at his hair.

"Sure" Blaise rolled his eyes, "Im off to meet the ladies, you coming?"

Draco sulked out of the room.

**XoXoXoXoXo**

Hermione stood in the entrance hall, Ginny at her side. She snapped her mask in place, fidgeted with her dress, and every few seconds her brown eyes would dart to the clock in the corner.

"Oh where ARE they" she sighed, stomping her high-heeled foot.

"I haven't a clue" the red head sighed, her eyes following the couples into the hall "But when Blaise does get here, I'll kill him"

"Did I hear my name?" Blaise, closely followed by Seamus and a black haired boy that neither of the girls had met before, came around the corner. Blaise made a straight line for Ginny, he picked her small frame up and twirled her around the room, as he set the dizzy, but smiling red-head back on her feet she grinned at him,

"Hullo to you to"

Seamus stepped up to Hermione, blushing,

"Sorry I can't top that" he jerked his thumb at Ginny and Blaise, "But I wanted to say that, if you didn't here me already, you look gorgeous, and I am honored to be you date." he kissed her on the cheek.

Hermione smiled and hugged him,

"Thanks Seamus"

There came a sound, like a gag, from the corner where the black-haired boy was standing, Ginny turned when she heard the noise and gave the boy a sharp look, she studied him for a moment, he looked familiar but couldn't place who he was.

"Shall we go in?" Blaise interrupted her thoughts.

"I think so" she grinned.

((And so it begins, okay next chapter is ready as an apology for the extremely long wait! I know this was supposed to be the ball but I had to break it up, it got tooo long! Hope you all had a good holiday season! Happy New Year!))


	18. Belles of the Ball

Your Joking, Right!

Chapter:

"**Belles of the Ball"**

Hermione and Ginny really know how to steal the show

As they entered the ball, arms all crisscrossing each others' Ginny, Hermione, Seamus, and Blaises' mouths all dropped open in astonishment. Or, at least, Ginny and Seamus' did.

"Wow you guys, this is awesome!" Ginny shrieked, her eyes danced around the hall, taking in it's appearance.

Hermione said it was supposed to look like a muggle artifact, a snow globe. The traditional 13 pine trees were set up around the hall, each covered in sparkling white snow. Icicles hung around the ceiling and off of the tables, and stage where the Weird Sisters were once again setting up. Tiny, perfect flecks of cold snow fell from the ceiling continuously, but the amazing thing was, even though the flakes were indeed cold like actual snow, the hall it self was not. Thanks to Hermione's brilliant mind, the dance floor, which gave off the appearance of an ice skating pond, but was not slippery, was surrounded by small blue fires, which were completely harmless, but gave off a warm glow, none-the-less. This, was the only source of light in the room, so the hall was a dark mix of shadows. But it was lit enough that you could see every decoration, and the people's faces. The stage itself had is own lights.

"Best be off" The Heads waved and made there way to the stage.

Hermione and Blaise stepped on stage, each cast a Sonorous charm on themselves and smiled out into the crowd.

"Good evening ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to the 2nd annual Hogwarts' Yule Ball." Blaise began.

"But unlike the past Yule Balls' we have decided to make this one less formal, so ladies, let down your hair." Hermione smiled, and her elegant up do was instantly let down, a wave of crimped brown hair cascaded down her back. She smiled, and turned to Blaise.

"And guys, loosen your collars and rip off your ties" Blaise implored, tossing his tie into the crowd, where a few girls jumped for it. Blaise smiled at them and Hermione's eyes found Ginny in the crowd who was giving them the famous Weasley glare. Hermione tossed back her head and laughed.

"Let the fun, Begin" The two yelled and instantly the Weird Sisters appeared on stage. The students instantly began to yell and jump around, dancing to the music as the Weird Sisters struck up their first tune of the night.

"Nice beginning you guys" Seamus grinned. "Now Hermione, if you would?" He held out a hand to her and she took it graciously.

Hermiones' eyes lit up as she twisted and twirled around the room, dancing just as she had in the summer when she had gone out to the club with the gang. But she took it down a notch, because she was in school after all. She had a reputation here. But at the club she didn't. She grabbed Ginny's arms and the two girls spun around the room and danced with each other, pulling the routine they had been applauded to do at the club on a weekly basis. The students were pretty much all looking at them now, cheering and applauding, but Ginny and Hermione could only laugh. As they ended, the two girls stopped and smiled as the people applauded them. A few guys catcalled , which caused Hermione to blush and Ginny to smile even more. Ginny caught the eyes of a dark haired boy and as she examined him, her mouth formed an _O_ as she let out a small gasp.

'Oh my God, its _Draco_' she thought silently.

Ginny gave one last smile then drug Hermione out of the circle and to a table where they were soon followed by Seamus, Blaise, Harry, and Ron. The six took a seat and each gave praises to the two girls who smiled who thanked them.

"It was just like being back in the club" Blaise muttered. Ginny smiled and kissed him,

"Ahh the good old days" she laughed.

Harry smirked and put in, "And all focus was on you, just like it was back then"

"The guys were all drooling to" Ron laughed, Ginny whacked him across the head playfully.

"When did you guys go to a club?" Seamus asked.

"Over the summer" Hermione smiled, a dreamy look on her face.

"Almost every weekend" Ginny put in.

**XoXoXoXoXoXo**

A few hours later, as the midnight hour rolled around, the Weird Sisters had been replaced by a DJ from the Wizarding World that had been booked to take their place. The DJ played a mix of fast and slow songs which kept the students extremely happy. Hermione had danced with quite a lot of guys after her little performance with Ginny. She took a twirl with Seamus some more, then Harry had asked for a slow dance, Ron wanted a fast beat to dance to, and Blaise had asked for one dance with his cousin. Dean had also asked for a slow dance, along with, Colin Creevey, and Ernie MacMillian. Zacharias Smith had also approached her but she turned him down as courteously as possible.

Ginny had also been asked to dance a lot, and, much to the dismay of Blaise, she had accepted most of them, promising to save the last dance for the best man in the house, which melted his glare, slightly. As Hermione gazed over from where she was slow dancing with Seamus once again, she could see Ginny dancing with a dark haired boy she had never seen before, the two were talking furiously.

'Probably a sixth year' she thought, and focused her attention back on the people before her.

Now Ginny felt a little uncomfortable with her arms around Draco Malfoy, but as he approached her she knew it would be the perfect opportunity to chat with him. So, acting as if she had no idea who he was, she accepted, and now as she wrapped her arms around his head, she slightly regretted it, but only slightly, because even though he had dated her best friend, then broke her heart, she still wasn't one to deny that Draco Malfoy wasn't hot, oh boy he was.

As they began to move, Draco began to talk

"You _do_ know who this is, _right_?"

"Of course Draco do you think im an idiot." she muttered.

"Do you _want _me to answer that?" he laughed.

Ginny couldn't help but smile. "What's with the hair"

"Didn't want to be seen"

"By _whom_, may I ask?"

"No, you may not" he muttered.

"Oh come on Draco, I know your not an idiot, you know she's not still upset, she's learned to forgive and forget"

"But I don't _want_ her to forget" Draco whined.

"I didn't mean it like that" Ginny snapped, barely containing herself to stay at a quiet level.

"Then how did you mean it Weasley?" Draco replied icily.

"Ugh never mind" she sighed. "Look, Draco, do you still love her?"

Draco's icy blue eyes met her hazel ones. "Ginny, you know I still love her"

Ginny nodded her head, "Then let her know because I think she still loves you to"

"Really?"

"Really" Ginny smiled, and hugged him as the dance ended. Then she began to walk back towards her table.

"Hey Ginny?"

"Yes" she spun on her heel.

"You're a fantastic dancer"

"I know" she smirked at him.

**XoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoXo**

As the last of the students filed out of the Great Hall, Ginny, Hermione, Blaise, Seamus, Ron, and Harry all looked to each other and rolled up their sleeves. Each pulled their sleeves out of their pockets and took a particular part of the hall, casting spells to put the Great Hall back to its normal self. Everyone turned to laugh at Harry as he melted an ice sculpture that was a spitting image of the dragon he had faced in fourth year. As the last bit of the sculpture melted onto the floor, Harry smiled.

"Why couldn't it have been this easy the first time?"

Everyone laughed. Hermione looked around the hall and smiled to herself, clapping her hands to show that the job was done.

"Another successful ball" she smiled.

Blaise pulled her to him and draped his arm over her shoulder.

"Nice job cuz"

"You too"

Ginny yawned and stretched her arms above her head,

"Now am I the only one or are you guys tired too?"

"Oh im tired" Blaise laughed and swooped her into his arms, kissing her forehead. "Lets got to bed"

"Oh no you will not!" Ron snapped glaring at them.

Ginny giggled, and everyone else laughed.

"Just kidding" Blaise smiled, dumping her onto her feet.

"Or not" Ginny laughed as the two exited the hall. "Night"

"Night" everyone called to each other as they all headed there separate ways, Harry and Ron to Gryffindor Tower, and Seamus , Hermione, Ginny, and Blaise to the Head's Tower.

Oh what a fun night it had been.

As Draco stood behind the statue outside of the hall, his eyes followed Seamus' hand on Hermione's lower back, he glared.

"This isn't over,_ yet_"


	19. Facing a Challenge

Your Joking, Right?

Chapter: **Facing a challenge**

As Hermione realizes her feelings for Draco are still there, one of them has to step up first. But with these two stubborn people, who knows how long that will be!

'This isn't right!'

That was the only thing on Hermione's mind as Seamus kissed her goodnight after the big dance. She pulled away rather quickly and smiled,

"Thanks for an excellent time tonight"

Seamus gave a small bow and kissed her hand, which made her giggle.

"And you are an excellent dancer" He then turned and walked back down the hall towards Gryffindor Tower,

"Thanks" she called before saying the password and entering the Head Tower. She lifted the hem of her skirt and took the stairs two-at-a-time, up to the room she shared with Ginny. She shut the door behind her and leaned back on it,

"That so did not feel right"

"What didn't feel right?" Ginny Weasley's red head popped up from under her bed.

"What in bloody hell are you doing down there?" Hermione asked, bewildered.

"Looking for a charm" she dangled her wrist where a silver charm bracelet was fastened, "Now, must I repeat myself?"

Hermione blushed, "No, Seamus kissed me and I said it didn't feel right"

"Oh, do tell" Ginny grinned, flouncing onto her bed.

"I dunno, its just... Ugh" Hermione sighed, "Just let me change out of this uncomfortable dress and I will tell you in a moment.

Hermione grabbed a pair of pajama bottoms and a tank top to change into then dashed into the bathroom. She hurriedly shimmied out of her dress then ran a comb through her hair, muttering a spell to remove all make-up from her face. She could hear Ginny humming a song, probably saying something along the lines of 'What takes her so long'

She stepped out of the bathroom and shut the door, Ginny looked up at her,

"Wanna go in the kitchen and grab a bite, im famished"

Hermione smiled and made a mad dash for the door, just as Ginny jumped off the bed,

"God your slow" Hermione rolled her eyes as she shoved open the door,

"Ow!" it struck something heavy.

Hermione raised both hands to her mouth and gave out a tiny gasp,

"Oh my god I am so... Oh its _you_"

Draco rubbed his arm and glared at her,

"Yeah, its _me_ Granger, you imbecile"

Hermione ignored him and conjured up a quart of mint-chocolate chip ice cream, a second later Ginny entered and got a pint of ice cream also. She shot a look at Hermione which was to say 'We need to finish our conversation.'

Hermione looked over at Draco, he caught her eye immediately and gave a tiny smirk,

"Draco, can you leave" she asked, as polite as possible.

"Whatever" He muttered, stomping out of the room, but stopping to grab Hermione's pint of ice cream, right out of her mouth. With an arrogant smirk he exited the room, a muffled 'Thanks' could be heard as the door shut behind him. He leaned against it and sighed, boy did he hate acting like he didn't care anymore.

"Ugh You know, he really gets to me sometimes" Hermione glared at the closed door that led to the boys dormitory.

"In a good way or bad way?" Ginny raised an eyebrow, the popped a spoonful of ice cream in her mouth, attempting to look innocent.

Hermione grinned , then raised a finger to signal 'One moment' then she grabbed her wand out of her pocket and pointed it at the boy's dormitory door. 'Reductor' she smiled at Ginny as the boy's door fell right off its hinges, and tumbling forward were Blaise and Draco.

"What do we have here?" she grinned evilly.

"Oh.. Well... um" Blaise stuttered, Hermione pointed her wand at him,

"Silencio"

Blaise mouthed wordlessly.

Ginny laughed, and as Draco began to laugh also, Ginny rolled her eyes and did the same to him, except Draco gave evil glares instead of trying to talk. The girls shoved the two blubbering idiots back into there room, repaired the door, then sealed it.

"That was awesome" They clapped hands then sat back down. Hermione yawned then stretched like a cat,

"Im getting tired" she muttered, "I think im gonna go hit the bed"

"Fine" Ginny gave a casual wave of her hand, "But were finishing this conversation in the morning"

"Yes, Yes, if we must"

"Ohhh we _mus_t"

"Night"

As Hermione shut the door from the kitchen, she leaned back on it and sighed,

"Both" she answered Ginny's question, silently.

**XoXoXoXoXo**

"Goodnight" Ginny muttered, waving her spoon. 'She's hiding something!' she thought, then went over to the boy's dormitrory door and banged on it until Draco opened it with an annoyed look. She shoved past him and found Blaise, she grabbed his hand and led him down to the common room. Draco followed them to the door and watched the two descend the steps, he raised a questioning eyebrow and Blaise turned back to him.

"Be back later" he smirked.

**XoXoXoXoXo**

"I swear they may be getting worse by the moment" Blaise sighed as he threw his head back against the couch and continued to run his finger's through Ginny's fiery locks, which matched the common room fire he was glaring at, at that particular moment.

"I dunno, Mione's not as bad as she used to be"

"Well Malfoy is getting worse then, all I ever hear is Hermione this, Hermione that, I mean she's my _cousin_ for heaven's sake." Blaise threw up his arms in frustration.

"I no" Ginny whispered and kissed him, which she knew would calm him. He kissed her back, but Ginny pulled away,

"Not now" she smiled. "We have to think of a way to help our two friends"

Blaise looked resentful, but nodded none the less,

"Anything"

**XoXoXoXoXoXoXo**

Hermione sat in the Gryffindor Common Room, she hadn't been able to sleep and had gotten bored so now she was sitting with her sister Dakota, Gabriel Delacour, Harry, Ron, and Seamus. The boys were playing a game of wizards chess and Dakota and Gabriel were gossiping about one thing or another. Hermione laughed, her own sister was going to be the next Parvati Patil. Hermione began to read again when Harry interrupted her,

"So what do you say Mione? Just for old times sake?"

"_What_ are you talking about?" she replied.

"Why don't we sneak into Hogsmeade? Like we always used to"

Hermione let the idea cross her mind, "Didn't they block that passage off last year?" she whispered, suddenly aware of her sister's closeness.

"The map?" Harry replied, just as quietly, but with a mischievous look on his face.

Hermione smiled, she could never pass up an adventure with her best guy friends, she looked from Harry to Ron and winked,

"Next Friday Night" she muttered out of the corner of her mouth.

Harry and Ron shared a devious look.

'What did I just agree to?' Hermione asked herself.

The boys went back to their game and Hermione back to her book just as the Gryffindor Port Hole opened and in walked Ginny Weasley, hair askew, but looking pretty none-the-less. Ginny's eyes took in the scene of Hermione sitting on the couch, Seamus next to her, arm around her shoulder watching the game of chess. She couldn't help but wonder why she hadn't pushed him away. Hermione raised her eyebrows at the girl,

'What have you been doing?' she thought silently.

'Later' Ginny gave her an equally quiet message. "I have something for you" she said aloud, thrusting an envelope with the Damenzla seal on it, at Hermione.

Hermione took the envelope and placed it in her pocket, then stood up

"Well I think I'll be off, Night all"

"No way!" Dakota cried, "I saw mom's seal on that letter, its as much my business as yours" she replied.

"If it was _your_ business, you would have got one, or it would say your name on it to" Hermione snapped, snatching the envelope out of her pocket and holding it up to her little sister."Her-Mi-O-Ne, not Da-Ko-Ta" she shoved it back in her pocket and glared at Dakota, but her face fell as she saw the tear form in the corner of her baby sister's eye. It was easy to forget Dakota Damenzla was only 11 sometimes.

"Fine" Dakota snapped, jumping up from the couch and storming up the girl's dormitory steps, slamming the door shut.

'Just like me' Hermione thought, before she ran up the stairs, "Come on Dakota open up" she banged on the door.

"Go Away!"

"Don't you wanna see what mother wrote?"

"No"

Hermione sighed, never mind it. She walked back down the spiraling staircase and headed for the port hole, she gave a weak "Good Night" before she exited the room. She wandered down the hall to her room when she changed her mind, she knew Ginny was probably following her, wanting some answers for her mood swings, but Hermione didn't have them. As she heard the footsteps behind her she dashed into one of the many secret passageways she, Harry, and Ron had discovered then rushed down the fifth floor corridor to the Astronomy Tower stairs.

"Please let it be empty today"

As she shoved open the doors to the tower and the cool wind struck her face, Hermione smiled, nobody in sight. She walked over to the very end of the tower and peered over the ledge at the vast emptiness that was Hogwart's Grounds at night. She climbed onto the ledge and sat sideways, half facing the grounds, half the tower.

As she sat she thought about all the things that were going wrong, her break-up with Draco, Fight with Dakota, Mood Swings, it was all bugging her. She felt the tears start to come as she thought about Draco. She had to admit it, she wanted him back.._bad!_ Even now she knew that he was the cause of everything that was going wrong in her life. She had fallen for Draco Malfoy, then he had let her fall flat on her face. She buried her head in her arms and cried silently, mad at herself for thinking Draco had changed.

She wiped the tears from her face as she heard the door to the Astronomy Tower fly open, then she backed up against the wall, hopefully the person wouldn't see...,

"Planning to Jump?"

..Too Late! She grimaced to herself as the object of her thoughts stepped out of the dark and into the moonlight.

"Planning to jump, Granger?"

"Oh so were back to that now" she snapped, 'great, another mood swing.'

Draco was ready to retort with the perfect comeback, until he saw her face.

"Have you been crying?" he asked, softer, but still with a hint of ice to his voice.

"No" Hermione snapped, wiping her eyes once more.

"Don't lie to me Granger, I know you too well"

"No you don't, you have _no_ idea about me" she shouted before crossing to the other side of the tower, she knew him well enough to know that he would not pursue her, after all, he appreciated his space also. She sat on the ledge once more and pulled out the envelope from her mother, she tore it open and let the paper fly over the edge of the tower, her brown eyes following it as the wind carried it down to the ground. When she could not see it any longer she focused her attention back on the letter, unfolding it she opened it to find it was indeed from her mother. She skimmed it and her mouth silently fell open,

"Oh My God" she shrieked, jumping down from the ledge, she ran to the door, and flew down the stairs.

"Wonder what that was about" Draco Malfoy muttered, pulling his robes tighter to his body and staring at the stars in the sky.

"I have to admit, she's one big mystery that I am _never _going to figure out"

Draco sighed, and turned to leave, he needed to get back to the common room and figure out what all the commotion was about.


	20. A NOT SO FRIENDLY Face

Your Joking Right!

Chapter: **A Not-So-Friendly Face**

When an unexpected visitor arrives, things can get a little... _different._

Hermione crashed into the Head's Room, only to find Ginny and Blaise snuggled on the couch by the common room fire once more. She made a fake gagging sound then grabbed Ginny's thin wrist and excused themselves from Blaise and proceeded to drag Ginny up the stairs, much to the red head's protest and dismay. As they entered their bedroom Hermione shut the door, sealed it and sat on the edge of the bed, she unfolded the letter and handed it to Ginny.

"Here read"

Ginny snatched the note and her hazel eyes read it quickly. A grin broke out over her face.

"Your mum knows all about your break-up with Draco and she's sad because she thought you guys would have made a _fine_ couple." Ginny laughed.

"No not that" Hermione snapped, she could feel the blush creep into her cheeks "Even though I haven't the faintest idea how she knew that"

"Dare I say it" Ginny asked, "Dakota?"

"Ahhh forgot about her" Hermione sighed

Ginny had continued to read the letter, suddenly she let out a squeal,

"Oh look Hermione, your cousin is coming to spend the rest of the semester here at Hogwarts" she let out a wide smile. "That sounds fun!" Her eyes continued to finish the letter, "She's in my grade to"

Hermione let out a deep groan and sunk back into her bed, grabbing her fluffy silver pillow and burying her head in it. "I...oo" came a muffled voice.

"What did you say?" Ginny asked, lifting the pillow from her friends face.

"I said I _no_"

"You don't sound to excited about it!"

"Because im not" Hermione snapped, immediately regretting it, "Oh im sorry Gin, its just..."

"Keep going"

Hermione paced the room, "My cousin, Emery McCain, is 16, and her family is third richest in all of London, second to my family."

"So, as far as I can tell, she sounds okay, she may be a little spoiled but..."

"A little?" Hermione threw up her arms, "She is the most spoiled, snobbiest, I-get-everything-I-want girl I have ever met, and the worse part, she may also be the prettiest girl I have ever met"

"Ahhh" Ginny clapped, "So your jealous?"

"My god Gin, wait until you meet her, you will be to"

"Oh I don't have to wait too long, says here she'll be here in...3 days" Ginny smirked.

"_What!_" Hermione snatched the letter from Ginny's hand, "January 7th, you have _got_ to be joking!" Hermione crossed the room and flipped open her calendar "Oh merlin, 3 days left to live"

Ginny laughed, "Come on Hermione, she can't be that bad!"

"You wait" was all Ginny heard as Hermione sunk into her bed and hid under the covers.

"We'll see,.. Night" Ginny replied.

**XoXoXoXoXoXo** **3 Days Later XoXoXoXoXoXo**

Hermione had to _force_ herself to get out of bed on the morning of January 7th. She quickly changed into her robes and threw her hair back into a messy pony-tail, she was in no mood to comb it. She grabbed her school bag and walked down into the common room to drop it by the couch, as she made her way down the spiral staircase a loud knock came from the port hole, followed by many more, equally as loud.

"I got it" Hermione called over her shoulder to nobody in particular. She groaned and walked over to the hole "Its called patience people" she snapped. Hermione unlocked the portrait and in came a quick flash of black and silver, talking fast, the squeaky-girly voice revealed it to be her sister. Hermione whirled around,

"Oh Mione im so excited, I can't wait! Can you? Think she's different from when we last saw her? Oh she was soo pretty! I wanna be just like her...

That made Hermione almost throw up the breakfast she hadn't even eaten yet. She walked over and put a hand over Dakota's rambling mouth, silencing her.

"Now, are you hungry?"

Dakota nodded.

"Follow Me"

Hermione led Dakota up the stairs, through her bedroom..

"Oh its soo pretty, Which bed is yours? Where's the red-head? Your soo lucky!"

... 'God, what did she eat this morning?' Hermione thought, she shoved open the door to the kitchen, only to be greeted by Ginny and Blaise making out and Draco giving them a disgusted look. Hermione cleared her throat, Ginny and Blaise broke apart and Ginny jumped up off of Blaise's lap so quickly you would have sworn she flew.

"Dakota, good morning!" Ginny smiled brightly, straightening her robes, and patting down her hair.

"Oh Merlin, were you two kissing! Im sooo telling Aunt Temperance" Dakota said in a sing-song voice.

Blaise shot a look at Ginny, who turned bright red, then he turned back to Dakota and gave her a charming, you-can't-resist-it smile "Now you wouldn't do that to your favorite cousin now would you?" He patted his lap and Dakota sat on it, he tickled her stomach and she giggled,

"Aunt Temperance told me to tell her everything you do this year" Dakota recited, almost mechanically.

"Now we don't have to tell her _everything _do we?"

Dakota shook her head, blonde pig-tails nearly smacking Blaise in the face, "I guess not"

"Good" Blaise tickled her again.

Hermione set a glass of orange juice in front of her sister then grabbed some for herself. She took a biscuit from the center of the table and bit into it bitterly, she was _not_ ready for today.

"Well aren't you a little right ball of sunshine today?" Draco smirked, gliding into the seat next to her and running his hand along the length of her messy pony-tail, "Love what you did with your hair by the way"

Hermione would have cursed him right then and there if her sister hadn't have been in the room, so instead she settled for giving him an extremely dirty look. She stood up and grabbed him by his collar, dragging him into her room, even though she knew it was not allowed. She shut the door, locked and sealed it, then she whirled on him, her face turning a shade of red as she glared at the boy who could anger her so easily, then sweep her off her feet at the very next moment.

"Draco!" she sighed, "Im really not up for your petty smart remarks today, please?" she begged.

Draco was thrown off, he had been quite ready for an old fashioned Hermione-Draco scream match. Then again, she was full of many surprises. He stared at her for a moment, she looked like a beautiful mess. Her brown hair was extremely curly, like she took a shower then threw it back in a hurry, strands were falling out of her pony tail and framing her face. Her eyes looked a little swollen, and had small bags under them, as she hadn't slept to well or was under some stress. He couldn't kick her while she was down, sure Draco Malfoy was mean, but he wasn't evil. He sighed and held out a hand,

"Fine, you win Granger, I'll call a truce, but only for today"

Hermione's face broke out in a wide, clown-like smile. She threw her arms around him and hugged him tightly,

"Oh thank you Draco, you don't know how much stress that relieves" she sighed.

'Oh I do' Draco thought, "But instead he said, "I said only for today" Then ducked out of the hug.

Hermione still smiled, "Only for today"

Draco let a tiny grin slip, but he quickly recovered with his usual smirk,

"So, what's got your knickers in a knot anyways?" he asked,

Hermione blushed at the knickers part, then her face kind of fell and she turned to look out the window at some of the students out for an early morning walk. "Do you really wanna know?"

"Yeah, kind of"

"Well, my cousin is coming to spend the rest of the year here" Hermione sighed.

"So?" Draco prompted, "What is so wrong with that?"

"Emery, my cousin, could be the vainest person I have ever met, including you" she added, smiling.

"Oh really? " Draco raised an eyebrow and smirked. "We'll have to see about that won't we?" he gave her a playful shove.

"Yeah, I guess so" she laughed, smiling at him.

Draco smiled back, his eyes met her sparkling brown ones. Hermione blushed and turned away but Draco turned her head back so his eyes met hers once more. He moved in, as did she, all thoughts of Emery McCain instantly erased from both their minds, if only for a moment. There foreheads met, Hermione forgot how good it felt to be so near him. There lips just about met..

"Hermione, there's an owl for you"

..Ginny's voice floated through from the kitchen. Hermione silently cursed Ginny and stepped back instantly, Draco let out an angry sigh.

"Nothing happened" Hermione said, taking off the charms from her bedroom door.

"Nothing did happen" Draco replied angrily, then stepped through the door before her. He could tell by the way Dakota, Ginny, and Blaise looked all-to innocent that they had probably been trying to spy.

"God Granger, do you honestly think I _care_ about your stupid cousin coming?" Draco, snapped, putting on a show.

Hermione was appalled, a mere minute ago they were back to how they had been the month before and now he wa...

'Oh' Hermione caught on

"You know what Malfoy, I just want your smart attitude out of my case while my cousin is here, she is enough to deal with, I don't want some immature brat like you sticking your arrogant nose into _my_ business."

'Ouch' Draco thought, there was the Hermione he loved fighting with.

"Oh that hurt Granger" Draco mocked, putting a hand over his heart, or at least where it should have been.

Hermione rolled her eyes.

Dakota, meanwhile, was watching the fight with great interest, the only other person Hermione fought with like that, was Cory, who had been her sister's boyfriend over the summer.

'She likes him' Dakota concluded, then a wide grin fell over the little girl's face.

"Hm, Hm" Ginny cleared her throat.

Hermione shot her a dirty 'What now' look.

Ginny glared right back, playfully. "You have a letter"

"Oh" Hermione laughed, "I completely forgot about that"

"Wonder why?" Dakota muttered quietly, only Blaise heard her and chuckled quietly.

Hermione took a seat between Dakota and Ginny and pried open the letter.

"Its from Dumbledore" Ginny stated, pointing at the phoenix seal.

"You're a smart one" Draco muttered.

Ginny glared at him and Blaise hit his friend across the head, playfully.

"Watch it dude"

Hermione, completely aware that the entire table was watching her, pulled the letter back slightly, and watched as the entire table's eyes moved back slightly also. She rolled her eyes and squeezed out of her chair and moved over to the counter where she propped herself on the edge of it, swinging her legs as she read the letter, once she read it through she concluded that it was okay to read aloud.

_Ms. Damenzla or dare I say it, Hermione:_

_I am aware that your cousin, a Ms. Emery McCain is due to arrive on this morning of Januray 7th. The letter from your mother states that she is to arrive at 9:45 am on the Hogwart's Xpress. I felt, that as she is your family, you and your sister shall go to meet her. Please be at my office no later then 9:15 am._

_Sincerly,_

_Headmaster Albus Dumbledore_

"Well you better get a move on, its 9:07 now" Blaise pointed at the small clock above the stove.

"Thanks" Hermione muttered, sarcastically.

"Can't I come? I mean if she's your cousin she's related to me somehow " Blaise pleaded.

"I don't see why not" Hermione smiled. Anything to keep Emery busy, she would probably be too busy checking out Blaise to even notice Hermione, which Hermione personally didn't mind.

"Great" Blaise lifted Dakota off his lap then jumped up himself. "Were off then" he kissed Ginny, and patted Draco on the shoulder "See you kids later"

**XoXoXoXoXoXoXoXo**

As the three and Dumbledore waited for the train to come in, Hermione couldn't help but fidget. Last time she had seen her cousin, she had been extremely rude to her. She had even said Hermione wasn't even part of the family. Hermione just didn't like her. But for Dakota, it was the opposite. The whole walk to Hogsmeade station Dakota had babbled on about how great her cousin Emery was.

'She's known her for a while' Hermione thought, 'No need to be jealous'

Hermione decided, as she spotted the train coming around the hill and into the station, that she would try to be nice to her. A clean slate.

As the train stopped in front of them, Hermione's stomach lurched. People began filing off the train, one by one. The she saw her. Emery McCain was almost exactly as she had been that warm summer day. As she jumped down off the train Hermione examined her. Her dirty blonde hair was cascading around her face and down her back, every time the sun caught a strand, it seemed to glow a million times. Her perfectly tan skin looked baby soft, and tiny freckles dotted around her button nose and ocean blue eyes. Her pearly white teeth were perfectly straight. But there was one flaw Hermione couldn't help but smile at when she had first noticed her.

Hermione plastered on her fakest smile and hugged the girl.

"Hi Emery, how are you?" she beamed. "When did you get glasses?"

"Hi Hermes!" Emery smiled.

"Its Hermione"

"Whatever" Emery waved her off, then took off her glasses, "Oh, these, I've always had them, but I usually wear contacts, I just didn't feel like putting them in"

"Oh" Hermione's face fell. 'Darn'

"Emery!" Dakota screeched, hugging her.

Emery smiled and twirled Dakota around.

"How are you Dakota?"

"Great!"

Professor Dumbledore stepped forward and Emery shook his hand.

"Pleasure to meet you Headmaster" she smiled.

Hermione took all she could muster not to gag.

"Nice to meet you to Ms. McCain. Welcome to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizadry. As you already know, I am the headmaster. Come, let us head off to the castle where we can get you sorted and situated."

Emery nodded and smiled.

As Dumbledore led them up to the castle Hermione watched Emery watch everything around her. As they passed through the gardens Emery stopped and Hermione bumped into her. Hermione followed Emery's eyes over to the lake where.. Hermione gasped.. She was watching Draco throw stones into the lake.

"Who is that?" she smiled.

Hermione just shrugged.

"Well _I_ am going to _find_ out!" Emery smiled mischeviously.

Hermione glared at her.

"That's what you think"

As they continued throught the courtyard, she notcied a few students checking out her cousin.

'Gross' Hermione thought, but as she saw the next person whose head turned at the sight of her cousin Hermione almost died right there.

Harry Potter was speechless at the sight of her cousin Emery McCain.

'Emery likes Draco, Harry likes Emery, Draco hopefully still likes me. This should be an interesting semester' Hermione thought.

"_**Now I know you guys didn't expect that but I waned to throw a new cahracter in to make life interesting, don't worry, im wrapping up the next chapter then im gonna begin o slowly ending the story! Now, please review, makes me update faster.. 3NiCoLe 3"**_


	21. Let the Madness Begin

Your Joking Right?

Chapter:

**Let the Madness...BEGIN!**

A step towards normal, or so Draco and Hermione think..

"Day 2 in Alien Nation" Emery sighed as she walked along the dark corridor to the Slytherin Dungeons, where she had been sorted. A few people glanced at her and scurried by, she gave them dirty looks. She hated this school already, the people were annoying beyond reason, the teachers were complete imbeciles, and worst of all, she was stuck here with her cousin, the one person she just could not stand.

As she neared the door Emery stepped up to the dragon statue and whispered the password, flipping her golden blonde hair over her shoulder, she smirked as the statue moved aside so she could enter the common room.

"Em!" she heard a voice shout.

'Oh God' Emery thought as she pinned on her fakest smile and crossed her arms, making herself appear calm, but happy to see the girl.

Pansy Parkinson sauntered up to Emery and smiled,

"Look who's here" Pansy jolted her head towards the corner of the common room.

Emery's violet eyes snapped over to the corner where they met a pair of icy blue ones, Emery smirked, gave a tiny wink and turned back towards Pansy,

"I've seen him around, who is he?" she asked, talking about the boy she had seen the very first time she had came to this school.

"Only the hottest guy in the school" Pansy sighed. She grabbed Emery arms and led her up the stairs to the seventh year dormitory. The girls sat on opposite beds and Pansy began talking, Emery laid her chin in her hands and listened, sincerely interested.

"First off, his name is Draco Alexander Malfoy, he is a seventh year student, like me. He is third smartest in my class after your filthy cousins Hermione and Blaise. He comes from one of the richest wizarding families in London, a whole line of purebloods the Malfoys are. He is also really good at Quidditch, presently seeker on the Slytherin Team.I went out with him for almost 2 months before your mudblood of a cousin stole him away, but I think he was just using her" Anything else?" Pansy took a deep breath and smiled.

"No, I think you about covered it" Draco sighed, glaring from the door, the light hitting his hair at a perfect angle which gave it an immaculate glow.

"Draco" Pansy purred, "Were you spying on me?"

"No" he replied, in a bored tone, "You left the door wide open."

Emery let out a tiny giggle, Draco smirked at her and Pansy glared.

Draco turned to leave, "Oh, one thing, I was using _you,_ not Hermione"

Pansy cursed and threw a pillow at the top of his head, Emery jumped up from the bed and gave the girl a tiny, sympathetic smile, then followed in Draco's wake.

"So, you're the notorious Draco Malfoy I've heard so much about"

Draco turned to find the cousin Hermione dreaded, Emery. "Well, judging by that conversation you know _nothing _about me"

"Oh, but I do" she smiled. "Everyone talks about you around here" Emery paused for a dramatic sigh, "Even my cousin"

Draco spun on his heel, he had this puppy-like look on his face, "What does Hermione say about me?"

"Oh nothing" Emery flipped her hair and exited the port-hole, making her way to the Great Hall for lunch.

"Come on McCain, you're her cousin, I know you know something"

"Maybe I do, Maybe I don't" Emery winked, shooting him a mischievous smile. Oh how she _loved_ being a tease.

Draco rolled his eyes, 'Did she honestly think he was that dense?' Well she was messing with the wrong person. Draco Malfoy is the _king_ at cat and mouse chase.

"Fine, I'll just go ask Hermione" he walked ahead of her and straight into the Great Hall.

"Draco wait!"

He smirked then spun around, an all-too innocent look on his face. "You rang dear?"

Emery wriggled her finger and walked out of the hall only to turn around and find Draco sauntering towards her cousin.

"Hermione 1, Emery 0 this is _not_ going to work" she scowled, "Time for plan B"

**XoXoXoXoXoXoXo**

Hermione had watched the whole incident from the Gryffindor Table with Ginny. As she sat there seething she couldn't help but wonder what the _hell_ was going on between Emery and Draco. But she put on a smug smile as Emery swayed her hips out of the hall and Draco did a complete ditch on her. She wiped the smile off her face and glanced back at Ginny as she saw him head towards them at the Gryffindor Table, self-consciously she checked her appearance in the dinner plate before her, all good. She pretended to laugh at something Colin said when she saw Draco had arrived at their table.

"Excuse me, Ginny, may I have a word?" he looked pointedly at the red-head who hid her shock and gave a weak smile.

"Sure"

She stepped up from her friends and followed Draco out of the hall. She could feel Hermione's eyes on her so she turned and gave a shrug of the shoulder.

'I have _no_ idea'

Draco came to a halt at the end of the main staircase, he turned to face Ginny who was slowly creeping up behind him.

"What do you want Draco?"

"You"

Ginny was startled, she stepped back a pace and raised her hand as if to smack him,

"She's my best friend you..." she swung.

Draco caught her hand easily and let out a sincere laugh.

"Gee Weasley if that's how you take a joke I may as well never talk to you again"

Ginny let out a laugh then gave him a playful shove.

"Very funny Draco" She tugged at her hair, "God, I almost died"

"Too good to be true aye?"

"Oh yeah!" she replied sarcastically. "Now what do you _really _want?"

"Well ugh.." His voice quieted and he shuffled his feet a little.

"Draco Malfoy, nervous?"

"_Shut Up_, I kinda wanted to know if Hermionewasstillintome?"

Ginny held up a hand, "Wait, rewind, I didn't catch that"

"Do you think Hermione would give me another chance?"

"Oh" Ginny beamed "Im sure, Go ask her!"

"Yeah, okay, thanks Weasley"

"No problem Malfoy"

Little did they know someone was listening in on there conversation, and she was _not_ happy.

**XoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoXo**

Draco found Hermione in the library, studying as usual, her nose buried in an 'Ancient Runes' book. She didn't even glance up as Draco approached her well hidden table in the corner of the library.

'Same old Hermione' he thought to himself, and smiled.

"Hey Hermione"

"Hmmm" she muttered, eyes still glued to the book.

"What are you studying?"

Her finger pointed to the book cover.

"Oh I see, anything interesting?"

She sighed and slammed the book down on the table,

"Draco, really, I must study, exams are only 3 weeks away!"

"I know, I know, but Hermione I really need to talk to you, now" Draco persisted.

"Umm.." Hermione looked at her wristwatch, "Ok, you have 5 minutes"

Draco smiled, a genuine smile.

"Look, Mione, you know I like you, always have, always will..

He began, Hermione blushed.

"And, I am _really_ sorry about what happened, it was a silly fight, people fight all the time, and I think, if you wanted to, and if we tried, we could put it behind us and be the happy couple we were before. So Hermione Jane.. What do you say?"

Hermione was stunned,

'Oh how she wanted to be back in his arms, but, did she want to go through the pain again?. She could also use Draco around when her cousin was here'

Hermione smiled, and got up from the table. She turned her back on the blonde boy, who sat there with a hurt look on his face, until Hermione whispered in his ear,

"I'd love too!"

**Well Guys, hope you are happy! Review, and make me happy! 3 NiCoLe**


	22. Authors Note 2

Hello again guys, I am soooo sorry it has taken me forever. Anyways, I had kinda given up on this story. School, Swimming, and Dance had kind of overwhelmed me. But I started a new High School Musical story and now have decided to finish this one up also. So I will be rotating between updating with the both of them. Hopefully The next chapter for JKR \will be up tomorrow or tonight. Keep your eyes peeled. And check out _Feeling In The Heart_ if you're a HSM fan.

Thanks, Nicole

**Sneak Preview:**

Not All Good Things Can Last Forever, Right Hermione?

-Hermione gets a letter from home.

-Emery makes the moves on Draco


	23. Not Again

"_**Your Joking Right?"**_

Chapter 22– Not Again

Not All Good Things Can Last Forever, Right Hermione?

**XoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoXo**

Hermione was ontop of the world. Her and Draco have been going strong for about 2 weeks now, and it was pure bliss. There was only one major deal hanging over her head these days, graduation.

Her graduation was less then 2 weeks away and, being Head Girl, she was in charge of just about everything, and she had to make her farewell speech to finish.

But, being with Draco these past few weeks had been her top priority, but now that she knew everything was going to be perfect, it was time to focus on the other things.

**XoXoXoXoXoXo**

Hermione turned down the right corridor that led to the Gryffindor Common Room, she smiled as she saw the portrait of the fat lady, she hadn't been down this way in quite some time. She said the password and entered the room only to find a dark haired head and a head that nearly matched the fire he was sitting in front of. She crossed the room and Ron's eyes met hers he began to smile, she shook her head and mouthed the words _'No'_ before clasping her hand over her other best friend, Harrys' eyes.

"Guess Who?" she said, clearing her throat and attempting to make her voice seem different.

"Gee, I don't know, it just couldn't be my best friend Hermione who never shows her face around these parts anymore" he joked.

Hermione smiled, released her hands and jumped over the couch to take a seat.

"Come on you guys, its not like that at all, I've just been really busy, you know, finals and stuff."

Her chocolate brown eyes scanned the table in front of her, where a wizards' chess game was set up.

"Oh I see you guys have been preparing to"

"You know we don't do that stuff until the week before." Ron and Harry snickered.

"If you don't pass these tests you will not graduate do you want to be stuck here with the 6th years?" she questioned.

"Joking, Mione, we're joking"

"Well its not a joke. Anyways, Harry, I came to see if you have your notes from Potions last week, I seemed to have misplaced mine."

"Yeah sure, upstairs on my dresser, go on up and get them, you are Head Girl after all"

She smiled and thanked him then dashed up the stairs. She entered the boys dormitory happy to see there were no boys presently in there.

She located Harry's dresser only by the huge Quidditch trophy on it. It was his captain's trophy from when they had won the house cup the previous year. She found his notebook and flipped it open, smiling when she found what she was looking for. As she flipped the notebook closed a pink envelope slipped out. She bent down to pick it up, and noticed the girly writing in purple pen. She couldn't resist, she opened the envelope and unfolded the piece of parchment within. Her eyes scanned the short note.

_Dear Harry,_

_Thank you so much for being here for me these last few weeks. I love you so very much. Same time, Same Place tonight okay?_

_Love, Emery._

"Oh No" Hermione said aloud as she read the note. 'Was Harry dating her cousin?' She shuddered at the thought.

Hermione replaced the letter in another notebook then rushed back down the stairs, mumbling a 'Thanks again' to Harry as she stepped quickly out of the porthole. She knew that if she had stayed she would have questioned Harry about it and she did not want him to know that she knew.

"What is Emery up to?" she questioned. Hermione headed back to her dormitory, stepping in only to find Ginny spread out on the couch reading a wizarding magazine. She grabbed her hand and lead her up the stairs to their dormitory. As Hermione shut the door behind them Ginny took a seat on her bed and gave Hermione a crazed look.

"What in the bloody hell has got you all worked up?"

"I think Harry is seeing Emery"

"Our Harry, seeing your snobby cousin?"

"Yes"

"Why do you say that?"

"Because" Hermione sighed and sat down "I found a letter on his dresser saying that she wanted to thank him for being there for her the last few weeks and that she loved him and stuff."

"But I haven't seem them together at all" Ginny stated.

"Have you been watching Harry?" Hermione teased, shoving her friend.

"No, I just haven't seen them together"

"Sure" Hermione smiled.

"Shut Up!"

**XoXoXoXoXoXoXo**

The girls headed back down into the common room where Hermione was happy to see her favorite head of blonde hair. Draco's mind was currently in the clouds, he was trying to study but couldn't stay focused. He closed his eyes and laid his head back until her felt a familiar weight on his lap. He opened his eyes and smiled as her met a pair of chocolate brown ones.

"Hey you"

Hermione kissed him gently on the lips then pulled back and smiled.

"Hey you also"

"Before I forget" Draco eased her off his lap and grabbed an envelope off the table. "This came for you not to long ago"

Hermione sat back on the couch and opened the envelope, her eyes widened as she read it.

"Dumbledore wants to see me"

"The old kook probably wants to meddle in our business again" Draco muttered.

"Draco" Hermione muttered, playfully thumping him on the chest. "Ok I'll be back in a bit" She smiled and kissed him again.

"Make it quick" He called.

As Hermione made the trip to Dumbledore's office, she couldn't help but question what he could possibly want.

**XoXoXoXoXo**

Okay Sorry to leave you with a cliffy but... Anyways, I will probably update by Tuesday because I have to update my HSM story tomorrow. Hope this chapter was okay. Just wanted to build some suspense.


	24. Next Apparation Home

"_**Your Joking Right?"**_

Chapter 23-Next Apparation Home.

_After Hermione learns of some unexpected news she heads home, leaving behind her duties at Hogwarts_

Hermione arrived at the gargoyle that led to Dumbledore's office. She quickly said the password, a favorite sweet of his as usual, and descended the moving staircase.

'Please let it be good news, Please' she silently prayed on the way up to the Headmaster's office.

The stairs came to a halt and Hermione hopped off. She gave the heavy wooden door a hollow knock and heard an old familiar voice beckoning her in.

"Ah. Ms. Damenzla, welcome, welcome. A cockroach cluster?" He offered her the candy.

Hermione took a look at the sickly looking candy and hid a grimace with a smile. "No thanks."

Dumbledore crossed to his desk and took a seat behind his desk he folded his hands upon them and looked her straight in the eye.

'Uh Oh' Hermione gulped. 'This _cannot _be good.'

"I have received a letter for you, it is of an urgent matter and I wanted to give it to you personally so we could discuss your options."

"Im sorry sir, but, may I ask of what letter are you speaking about?"

Dumbledore slid 2 letters out of his robes. He handed one to her and held up a second one. "I have received a letter of the similar nature, but before I continue, may I ask that you read your own."

Hermione nodded and reluctantly tore open the letter, as she read it a silent tear began to fall down her cheek.

_Our Dearest Hermione,_

_Im sorry it has been a while since we been in contact with you, but after the crazy summer you had, we decided to give you your space, even if it was a few continents. _

Hermione smiled.

_But the reasoning I am writing you concerns your mother. She is sick sweetie. Very sick. Now the doctors say that she has a form of cancer in her upper thigh, which is beginning to cut off circulation to the lower parts, but, as you know she is physically weak. The surgery is not a very great option. She has about 2 months to live sweetie. I am so very sorry to tell you all this in a letter but I could not leave her. Please contact us. We love you so very much._

_Your Father, no matter what._

Hermione was crying, she had tried her best not to, told herself she wouldn't cry in front of the most powerful wizard of all time, but she was. Dumbledore gave her some time before he began to speak to her.

"Now, Ms. Damenzla, I am aware of your circumstances and I also know that you know longer reside with the Grangers but they were, and still are, a very big part of your life. I am leaving it up to you to decide what you would like to do."

"I don't need time headmaster, I already know."

**XoXoXoXoXoXo**

Hermione was gone by the following lunch period. She would be gone for a full week, leaving her a week and 3 days to prepare for graduation when she returned.

"How come I can't come to? In some way they are kind of my family to" Blaise had complained when she told him that she would be leaving. "Your just going to leave me to deal with all of these animals" He pointed out the first years, dashing around the entrance hall.

She was also excused from all finals.

"Aw. Now that isn't fair" Ron complained. "Maybe I'll owl Bill and have him pretend to get sick so I can go home for a week and be excused from Bloody exams"

Hermione hit him. "Not funny."

Luckily for her Draco was the very last person she saw before she left. She hugged Ginny goodbye then Draco walked her towards the main doors, her trunk floating magically behind them. Before they were in sight of Dumbledore, Draco grabbed Hermione's hand and pinned her lightly against the wall. He kissed her passionately, and she eagerly responded running her fingers through his silky hair. As they broke apart, Hermione smiled at him.

"What was that for?"

"Because, I won't see you for a week, and I kinda wanted to do that" He smirked.

She laughed. "You know what Draco Malfoy, I kinda like you."

"You know what Ms. Damenzla, I kinda like you to" He kissed her again.

She kissed him back then pulled away, shoving him back a bit. "Maybe not."

He smirked, and began to say his goodbye. "Take care, hope you mother, or whatever she is, feels better. I love you"

"I love you to" She turned to go, then turned back and kissed him again, "Something to remember me by"

"I couldn't forget you if I tried Hermione Jane Granger"

"Its Hermione Jane Granger Damenzla."

"If that's your story"

She smiled and waved at him. He turned the corner and was out of sight, just then a figure caught her eye and she noticed her other cousin, Emery McCain, sitting on the staircase,. The blonde promptly stood up, gave Hermione a tiny smile,

"Have a good trip"

and exited the way Draco had went.

"I hate her" Hermione breathed

"Ready to go Hermione" Dumbledore beckoned her out the doors.

"As I'll ever be"

As they walked out the doors Emery stepped back out of the shadows and smiled at the pair stepping into the carriages.

"Bye cousin dearest, really take all the time you need. This are going to be quite different when you return"

**XoXoXoXoXoXoXo**

Okay, Hi again. I hope you kinda liked that chapter. It was just kind of a filler for me. Anyways, I need _your_ help, let me know wheter you would like me to have the next chapter about what Emery is up to at Hogwarts while Hermione is away with a few tidbits of Hermione back home, or a whole chapter on Hermione's home crisis then the following chapter on Hogwarts. Review or Message and let me no. I'll probably update by Friday. If you're a High School Musical fan check out my story 'Feeling In The Heart'.

--Nicole


End file.
